Action Society attended proceedings in the Randburg Magistrates Court today where the defence for the eight accused SAPS officers in the so-called #BlueLightMafia case brought a Section 174 application. The defence argued that the State had failed to present sufficient evidence to support the charges against them.
The eight officers, who were on duty when the widely circulated assault took place, have pleaded not guilty to all charges. The State has led several witnesses and introduced video footage that captured the incident.
The defence maintained that there was no clarity as to which accused performed which acts, that some witnesses were unreliable, and that the charge sheet was vague. They claimed that not all the accused got out of the vehicles, that pointing firearms was improbable in the seconds the incident unfolded, and that they were acting on instructions from their convoy commander. They further alleged that the State failed to prove damage to the complainants’ vehicle and that testimony about the incident was contradictory.
The prosecution, however, dismissed the application as baseless, insisting that an overwhelming prima facie case has been made. Relying on the doctrine of common purpose, the State argued that sufficient testimony corroborated the available video evidence. Prosecutors reminded the court that even the accused’s own statements confirmed their active involvement and presence at the scene.
“The attempt to discharge the case under Section 174 is nothing more than a last-ditch effort to escape accountability,” said Juanita du Preez, spokesperson for Action Society. “The eight accused should be treated as the criminals they are. They disregarded the law, misused their authority, and brutalised civilians instead of protecting them.”
The outcome of the Section 174 application will be delivered on 9 October 2025 in the Randburg Magistrates Court.
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