JOHANNESBURG - Deputy President Paul Mashatile insists he was not on the scene of the VIP unit highway assault.
He says he first saw the incident on social media.
Eight of his protectors are in custody for allegedly beating up people on the N1.
WATCH: Bail ruling in 'blue light' highway assault case postponed
They say they were transporting the Deputy President and there was a threat to his life.
Mashatile was speaking to JJ Tabane on Power To Truth.
"Protectors must respect the law, must obey the law. They are not a law onto themselves," Mashatile said.
"Action must be taken. Immediately after this thing happened the Commissioner of Police said he's intervening.
"I then issued a statement saying I'm happy the Commissioner is intervening to deal with the problem," he said.
"Now that they're in court, I don't want to make many comments about that scene, except to say it is not true that I was there.
"In fact, if you look at the way we travel in a convoy, we actually don't stop at all."
Deputy President Paul Mashatile insists he was not on the scene of the VIP unit highway assault. He says he first saw the incident on social media. Mashatile was speaking to JJ Tabane on Power To Truth. DStv403 #SouthAfricanMorning pic.twitter.com/IdeiMACZAt
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 1, 2023