INLSA
Tired of public criticism of the provincial VIP protection unit, new regulations governing their behaviour are being drawn up which, if approved, could result in mayors being barred from using “blue-light brigades”.
In addition, future allegations against the unit – which in the past have included threats and assaults on other motorists – would be probed by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, which investigates crimes committed by the police.
These are among the measures contained in a KwaZulu-Natal cabinet memorandum currently under consideration as part of attempts to address an upsurge in criticism of the abuse of blue lights by the VIP protection unit, dubbed “the blue-light brigade”.
The memorandum was discussed with about 200 members of the unit in Durban yesterday. The media were barred from the meeting, but insiders told The Mercury that Community Safety MEC Willies Mchunu – in his capacity as the leader of government business – had read the “riot act” to unit members.
Broadly, the memorandum seeks to make clear the mandate of the unit and how its members should execute their duties in protecting VIPs.
“We want to bring clarity and to clear all matters of public concern around the work of the unit. The memo also seeks to address what people need to do if they suspect there has been a violation of law or abuse of the blue light and violation of their rights,” Mchunu told the media.
Mchunu said the document was a response to the recent “upsurge” in perceived abuse of blue lights by the unit.
For now, he said, the memorandum was a work in progress and a “private” document of the cabinet.
“We hope when the memo finally reaches the public, all concerns will have been addressed. All that we want to do is based on law,” said Mchunu.
In a recent incident involving the unit, a Durban engineer claimed that a policeman driving in a blue-light vehicle pointed a gun at him and threatened to kill him on the N2.
The vehicle was transporting the deputy Speaker of the legislature, Mtholephi Mthimkhulu, at the time.
The memorandum spells out guidelines for use of the blue light and when the unit’s members might be permitted to disobey traffic regulations.
For instance, said sources who had seen the document, an officer could use the blue light in the absence of the VIP, but use of the light did no allow an officer to disobey traffic regulations, including exceeding the speed limit.
The memo allowed officers to violate regulations if it was necessary for the protection of the VIP, said a source. However, it instructed that this should be done with “due regard” for the safety of other motorists.
A VIP unit officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the next phase would be to visit municipalities and find out if mayors needed blue-light escorts and to look at the size of their convoys.
“At times their convoys are even bigger than that of the premier,” the officer said.
