On the day that the blue Polo Vivo driver allegedly suffered an attack from his protectors, Deputy President Paul Mashatile was present in the convoy.
The defence team revealed this during the cross-examination on Tuesday in the case against eight members of the VIP protection team attached to Mashatile.
The case resumed before the Randburg magistrate’s court on Monday after a month-long postponement.
The witness was racing with the convoy, moving at 160km/h on the N1 highway in Johannesburg in July 2023, according to defence attorney, advocate Mswazi Makhubele.
Using photos of the incident, Makhubele showed the court where the Polo Vivo forced the convoy to move him to the side of the road.
“Can you see the blue lights on the black cars in the picture that is displayed?” he asked.
To which the witness replied that he sees a car with blue lights on the picture; however, on the day of the incident, when he was driving, he did not see a vehicle with blue lights.
“I only see two vehicles, the ones that had people who pointed a gun at me,” said the witness.
Reckless driving
Makhubele said one of the black cars on the road, a vehicle that was driving opposite the Polo Vivo, was transporting the deputy president.
“I’m not sure if it’s okay for me to mention this, but the deputy president’s spokesperson said the deputy president wasn’t in the convoy. So I don’t know how it’s said he was in the convoy today,” responded the witness to Makhubele.
Makhubele said the vehicle that Mashatile was in drove beyond the barrier line because of the witness’s reckless driving.
However, the witness is adamant that he drove at 120km/h and did not obstruct other vehicles.
“I was driving at 120km/h, so I don’t understand why the defence says I was driving recklessly,” said the witness.
To which Makhubele responded: “I would be ready to accept your version that you didn’t see the convoy because of the other three cars aligned with the black cars on the road.
“The reason I am questioning your version is that there’s no certified driver; in their sober senses, that would miss the convoy.”
Suspects out on R1 000 bail each
Responded the witness: “As far as my knowledge, they said there were seven or eight cars and a metro police car; however, I don’t remember seeing those in the convoy.”
The eight accused are facing 11 charges, including causing malicious damage to property, pointing a firearm, and reckless driving.
They also face a charge of attempting to defeat the administration of justice, to which they have pleaded not guilty.
The accused handed themselves over to the police, and they are all out on R10 000 bail each.
Even the deputy president himself has previously indicated that he was not in the convoy