Presidential VIP Protection Unit, Kings Guard, or Thugs!? Watch and read below...

In this video, Stan Bezuidenhout from IBF Investigations - a former Specialist Police Reservist and current Court Expert - weighs in and shares his thoughts on the events of this last week.

The recent incident of the brutal assault of three men, caught on a video showing seven SAPS VIP protection officers assigned to Deputy President Paul Mashatile has placed the issue of the ‘blue light brigades’ back in the national spotlight.

The video of the harrowing incident has since been shared thousands of times on social media. It shows a group of heavily armed men alighting from two black BMW X5s.

The men can be seen dragging Fisher from the driver's side of the vehicle and assaulting him. Two passengers, who have since been identified as military trainees, were also assaulted at the side of the road while Fisher lies motionless on the ground. The guards then get back into their vehicles and drive off. The officers serve as the protection detail for South African Deputy President, Paul Mashatile.

According to the most seriously hurt victim, he had no reason to suspect that the passengers in the BMWs were law enforcement as none of their vehicles had their blue lights flashing or sirens to identify them as police.

He said when a second BMW stopped in front of his vehicle, he was forced to the side of the N1 highway. He said the officers' attempts to break through the front window failed but they succeeded in breaking the back window using a rifle and opened the driver's side of the door. He said he was then hit with the rifle and lost consciousness.

Police watchdog, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) has laid charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, pointing of a firearm and malicious damage to property at the Sandton police station against the group of VIP protection officers accused of beating three men in Joburg.

This is according to Ipid spokesperson Robbie Raburabu who said the case against the SAPS VIP protection officers was opened on Monday night, after Ipid investigators obtained statements and interviewed the victims. The Ipid is leading the criminal investigation against the SAPS VIP officers.

The SAPS also earlier said that the three victims, who are attached to the SANDF, have since opened a case against the Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s VIP protection officers.

The officers have also been issued with intent to suspend letters.

National SAPS spokesperson, Brigadier Athlenda Mathe, explained that, in line with labour procedures, the officers will have the opportunity to give reasons as to why they should not be suspended under the circumstances.

Meanwhile, the SA Defence Union confirmed that the victims were SANDF members.

“The victims were en route from Johannesburg to Pretoria when a black SUV appeared next to their vehicle while one of the occupants of the SUV was pointing a firearm at the victims' vehicle,” said SANDU national secretary general, Pikkie Greeff.

“The victims' vehicle was subsequently boxed in by more SUVs and forced to the left side of the N1 highway. The occupants of the SUV exited their vehicles, surrounding the victims' vehicle and attempted to smash the windscreen of the victims' vehicle and assault the occupants of the vehicle,” he said.

He added that the victims were interviewed by Ipid and were advised to refrain from engaging with any police officers during the investigation.

"SANDU agrees with this approach and remains in support of the victims," Greef said in a statement.

The union further condemned the act of brutality.

The Road Traffic Act states that only vehicles belonging to and vehicles operated by members of to the South African Police Service, the SANDF Military Police or a Municipal Police Service such as the Johannesburg Metro Police Department may legally use and fit blue lights.

Although the circumstances surrounding what led to the VW Polo motorists and his passengers being assaulted, remain unknown at this stage, it is believed that they may have failed to make way for the blue lights brigade in their two police owned BMW X5s.

The Gauteng Provincial Legislature’s portfolio committee on community safety has strongly condemned the “violent behaviour” of a group of SAPS VIP protection officers who were caught on camera assaulting three people in a viral video which has caused national furore.

The provincial legislature has added its voice to the numerous voices calling for action against the officers who are attached to Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s security detail, who was not present during the incident.