The Police and Prisons Civil Rights Union (POPCRU) has condemned recent remarks made by Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Police, Ian Cameron, after eight members of the Presidential Protection Unit were cleared of charges.
The union says Cameron’s inflammatory reference to the officers as “thugs” undermines the judiciary, disrespects the rule of law, and poses a threat to the safety and morale of police officers.
In a statement, POPCRU welcomed the exoneration of eight members of the Presidential Protection Unit linked to Deputy President Paul Mashatile, emphasising that the officers had “endured undue public vilification while subject to the legal process.”
IOL previously reported that members of Deputy President Paul Mashatile’s protection unit, who were captured on video allegedly assaulting a motorist on the N1, are facing criminal charges. Their trial is scheduled to resume at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on June 10, 2025.
The union said the judgment reaffirms confidence in due process and condemned what it called trial by media and political opportunism.
POPCRU responded sharply to Cameron’s public criticism of the dismissal of the charges, stating that his remarks falsely accuse the union of defending police brutality and blocking justice.
“These are not only baseless and defamatory but represent a deliberate attempt to delegitimise the role of organised labour in defending the rights of its members,” said the union.
POPCRU national spokesperson Richard Mamabolo said: “Cameron’s behaviour is reckless and unethical, especially as these officers have been cleared wrongdoing through due process.
”Who is he to undermine proper labour processes, or question the findings of the courts? His statements are deeply disturbing, and we will not stand quietly by and allow his behaviour to go unchecked.”
The union said Cameron’s language has the potential to incite public sentiment against police officers and endanger their lives, particularly at a time when police killings are on the rise.
“This year alone, dozens of SAPS members have lost their lives in the line of duty,” said POPCRU, while criticising what it called Cameron’s “suspicious silence” on the issue. The union asked, “Where was Cameron when, just last week, two SAPS members were shot to death in the Western Cape?”
POPCRU president Thulani Ngwenya echoed this concern, saying, “Such unfounded attacks from national leaders devalue their sacrifice and add immense stress and fear to an already demanding job.”
The union is now calling for an immediate investigation by Parliament’s Joint Committee on Ethics and Members’ Interest into Cameron’s conduct and for his removal as chair of the Police Portfolio Committee.
POPCRU argues that Cameron has misused his constitutional role and can no longer be trusted to carry out his oversight duties with fairness and impartiality.
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
IOL Politics
