Cop union welcomes VIP probe

2009-01-08 11:37

Pretoria - A probe into the police's VIP protection unit would render an objective finding into the conduct of its members, the SA Police Union (Sapu) said on Thursday.

"We are of the opinion that, as our country is a constitutional democracy there is no-one who is above the law," the union said in a statement.

Sapu said it welcomed the probe to be conducted by the Independent Complaints Directorate (ICD) as it would render an objective finding about the conduct of members from the vital unit.

The investigation - confirmed by the ICD on Wednesday - comes in the wake of a motorist being assaulted, allegedly by the president's VIP officers, in Johannesburg on Saturday.

It is alleged that the motorist's car "got too close" to President Kgalema Motlanthe's convoy and that VIP unit members fired shots at the vehicle and then confiscated equipment belonging to SABC journalists on the scene.

Numerous incidents

The ICD would also be investigating numerous other incidents involving the unit which had been reported over the last 12 months.

However, Sapu warned members of the public not to generalise and saluted members of the unit who had "clean hands".

"There is no evidence so far to suggest that members of the VIP Protection Unit as a whole are a law unto themselves."

The union further called on community members to pass on any information regarding the unit to the ICD.

- SAPA