The recent incident of the brutal assault of three men, allegedly by a group of six 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 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.
This means no private car —except cars operated by the State — are legally allowed to be fitted with 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 incident happened on the N1 highway this week and the motorists were travelling in a blue VW Polo with Ladysmith number plates.
The use of blue lights and other coloured identification lights is regulated by Regulation 176 and Regulation 185 of the National Road Traffic Regulations of 2000.
– BLUE LIGHTS
According to the SAPS, blue lights may only be fitted on vehicles operated by members of the SAPS and Municipal Police Services; traffic officers and SANDF Military Police.
There are other identification lights which may be fitted on other vehicles.
– RED LIGHTS
Cars fitted with red lights include ambulances, fire trucks and rescue vehicles.
– GREEN LIGHTS
These are for disaster management vehicles which would often be utilised as a response to inclement weather.
– WHITE LIGHTS
Private security companies are allowed to fit white lights in their cars. The cars must be registered and driven by a registered security officer.
– AMBER LIGHTS
The law allows for emergency vehicles who are employed in connection with the maintenance of public roads; in the distribution and supply of electricity and who are in the supply of essential public services; to display an amber light.
Breakdown vehicles, refuse compactor vehicles and vehicles carrying an abnormal load are legally allowed to use amber lights.
– ORANGE LIGHTS
The law says that a flashing orange light may only be used when:
– a breakdown has occurred;
– where maintenance or other work, or an inspection is being carried out;
When a breakdown vehicle is towing a motor vehicle, or in the event of a vehicle carrying an abnormal load.
Vehicles other than emergency vehicles or vehicles authorised by the relevant MEC in a province, may not be fitted with orange identification lights.
Meanwhile, commenting on the strained relations and trust levels between the police and the public, policing expert Professor Jean Steyn, said the relationship of the police and the public needed to be treated like a septic wound.
“You cannot treat a septic wound without cleaning it first. Flushing and cleaning of the septic wound is required first,” he said.
“Healing needs to take place first once all parties involved admit that they are wrong. The moment you believe you are wrong, then the stern and honest conversations need to take place,” Steyn said.
“You cannot operate on a septic wound without cleaning the wound first.”
Steyn said police had to listen to not only Community Policing Forums to regain trust in communities, but they had to go door-to-door, house-to-house, engaging with ordinary members of the community.
He said the behaviour of the VIP protection officers was symptomatic of the declining trust levels the public has with the police.
Once the police and the people meet each other halfway, I can see some degree of moving forward, but unless the healing takes place, we will not move forward, this has to be meaningful engagement, not just as a tick box exercise.
“What we have is that the public and the police are not talking enough and that is a recipe for disaster,” Steyn said.
“Ideally it would be important to speak to people on the street block, speak to family members, going door to door, hold an imbizo in the community, the CPF is not enough to rebuild the trust at the local street level,” he said.
“They must knock on the door and say ‘we are here to serve you, would you like to have a conversation about how we can serve you’.”
IOL