Saps Finally Confirms Shooting Incident On Paul Mashatile's Convoy

The South African Police Service SAPS National Commissioner, General Fannie Masemola, has finally confirmed the widely reported shooting incident involving Deputy President Paul Mashatiles convoy.

Sunday World reported the incident over the weekend and Mashatile later confirmed it. However, the SAPS initially declined to comment.

"The SAPS does not discuss or comment on safety and security aspects concerning the President, the Deputy President including cabinet members in the public domain, national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe told IOL .

In a statement on Tuesday evening, Masemola confirmed that the incident indeed happened, but assured South Africans that the executive of the country, including the President and the Deputy President, are in safe hands.

Members of the Presidential Protection Service PPS who are assigned to both the President and the Deputy President are trained to a high level of skill and possess the necessary expertise and capabilities to avert any risk and threat, he added.

The resources assigned to safeguard the executive are also adequate and designed to prevent any direct and imminent threat on their lives.

While it is not common practice to discuss safety and security aspects of the executive, the National Commissioner deems it fit to assure the country that sufficient resources are always assigned to safeguard members of the national executive.

An extensive investigation was conducted immediately after the incident and is still underway, Masemola said, adding that a ballistics report is already concluded.

Additionally, Crime Intelligences regular risk and threat assessment on both President Cyril Ramaphosa and Mashatile are ongoing.

SAPS has also reinforced their respective security details. The incident remains under investigation with a high-level team assigned to investigate this case, the Commissioner said.