Mashatile's bodyguards under fire for assault charges

The Randburg Magistrate’s Court has dismissed the Section 174 discharge application brought by eight former bodyguards of Deputy President Paul Mashatile.

The bodyguards had sought to have their assault charges dropped. However, Magistrate Abdul Khan dismissed their Section 174 discharge application relating to the assault charges, with the trial set to resume from March 23 to 27, 2026.

Khan ruled that only one charge – attempting to defeat the administration of justice – would be discharged, while emphasising that all the other charges would proceed, including pointing a firearm, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, malicious property damage, and reckless and negligent driving.

The eight officers, who are currently out on R10,000 bail each, will have to wait until March to learn their fate when the matter continues at the same court.

Their matter stems from a July 2023 incident, in which they were depicted in a video circulated on social media, assaulting occupants of a VW vehicle on the N1 Highway.

In a video clip that went viral on social media at the time, the officers could be seen brandishing rifles and assaulting the trainee soldiers, who were occupants of a VW Polo on the N1 Highway in Johannesburg.

At the time of the incident, the victims alleged that the accused forced them to the side of the highway before breaking their car window and assaulting them while brandishing firearms.

Khan ruled that the accused, namely Lesibana Rambau, Churchill Mkhize, Moses Tshidada, Phineas Boshielo, Harman Ramokgonami, Johannes Mampuru, Shadrack Kojoana, and Pomso Mofokeng, will now face charges of malicious damage to property and assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

In addition to this, only Boshielo, Tshidada, and Mkhize will face charges of pointing a firearm, while Mampuru and Rambau will face charges of reckless driving.

"Having dealt with the legal analyses of the matter, we now move to the evidence before the court, which finds that the accused will now face charges in relation to malicious damage to property, assault and pointing of a firearm, and reckless driving," the magistrate said.

Action Society spokesperson Juanita du Preez had accused the defence of trying to get the matter dismissed on the grounds of "insufficient evidence", but said that despite this, they are satisfied with the outcome.

"We are satisfied with the ruling. There is a vast contrast between the results of the internal disciplinary hearing, which rejected the main evidence, and what is now unfolding in court. The police’s inability to police itself has been exposed.

"The disciplinary action against these eight officers should be reinstated following the clarity that has emerged from this judgment. At the very least, these officers should be suspended again, because they are all back on active duty," she said.

 siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za