Action Society Urges Taxpayers to Oppose Funding N1 Assualt VIP Protection Officers After Courts Grant Bail

• Civil organisation Action Society has set its sights on the eight VIP protection officers accused of assault
• After the men were awarded bail, the group called on taxpayers to refuse to fund the officer's salaries and defence
• Action Society's Ian Cameron said the public could not be expected to pay the way of SAPS members who commit violent crimes

JOHANNESBURG - Civil organisation Action Society has called on the public to oppose using tax money to fund the VIP protection officers accused of the brutal N1 assault.

This comes after the Randburg Magistrate's Court released eight suspended South African Police Service (SAPS) officers on R10 000 bail each on Tuesday, 1 August.

The men are facing 12 charges, including malicious property damage, assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm and pointing a firearm, The Citizen reported.

Read also

Paul Mashatile’s VIP protection unit accused of brutal assault granted R10K bail, Ian Cameron weighs in

Action Society encourages citizens to refuse to pay for VIP officers' defence

Action Society has criticised the court for releasing the accused officers. The organisation's director of community safety Ian Cameron implored taxpayers to send letters to the national commissioner opposing the use of their tax money on the salaries and defence of "criminals".

Cameron added that taxpayers should not be expected to foot the bill for officers who have committed violent crimes, whether it be for legal costs or their salaries, TimesLIVE reported.

South Africans still outraged by N1 assault

Below are some comments:

Fredjah Wa Maleke complained:

"Justice will never prevail in South Africa, the ruling party has made sure their own are untouchable."

Emma Annabella Fenty Mhlanga criticised:

"They abuse the same people paying their salaries."

Read also

3 Police officers get 4-year sentence for R3000 bribe case, court refuses to grant suspended sentences

Annette Cruywagen asked:

"R10,000 x 7 = R70,000. Who is paying their lawyers?"

@mikebdrw added:

"They have to be fired without any benefits. They think they had a right to do what they did and also that boss of theirs must also be charged as an accomplice."

SA spends R1.9b on VIP protection police for government officials, civil society groups want unit disbanded

In a related story, Briefly News reported that civil society group, Outa, pointed out that the government spends more money protecting ministers than it does protecting citizens.

The organisation revealed that the South African government spent R1.9 billion on the SAPS VIP protection unit in the past financial year to protect themselves. In contrast, the money spent on the SAPS to cover and protect the entire SA population was a mere R2.247 billion.

Outa also pointed out that it seemed like politicians are afraid of ordinary citizens, which may be why they spend so much money on VIP protection police officers, reports BusinessTech.

Source: Briefly News