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Gauteng's roads have become a stage for a dangerous spectacle: the Blue Light Brigades are taking over. These high-speed motorcades, usually protecting politicians or VIPs, are becoming an almost daily phenomenon on the province’s highways, and the risks associated are escalating.
The Automobile Association (AA) has voiced its deep concerns, emphasizing that these brigades are not just traffic nuisances but a serious threat to the safety of everyday motorists. The recent brutal attack on three drivers on Johannesburg’s N1 highway highlights the severity of the situation. These ‘protection officers’ armed with state authority and weapons have displayed a clear disregard for public safety and the law, adopting an aggressive stance towards those sharing the road.
South African road users have even witnessed intimidating actions, such as aggressive gesticulation and the display of firearms by occupants of the motorcades. For years, the AA has been a critical voice, tirelessly calling for better oversight of the VIP protection unit’s operations. Unfortunately, their efforts seem to have been ignored, leaving these motorcades to operate with a sense of impunity.
What's more egregious is that their behavior betrays the very essence of their duty—not to menace but to protect. The principals being escorted within these convoys must shoulder part of the responsibility. By not demanding high standards of professionalism and ethics from their escorts, they implicitly endorse the prevailing above-the-law attitude.
It is a misconceived notion that the urgency of a principal's appointment justifies reckless driving, which endangers other road users. South African laws, including Section 58(3) of the National Road Traffic Act (NRTA) and Regulation 176 of the NRTA, provide certain privileges to emergency vehicles and their drivers. However, there is a stark difference between responding to an emergency and brazenly barging through peak hour traffic under the guise of importance.
The AA asserts that drivers, blue lights flashing or not, must adhere to the same safety standards as all road users. Gross negligence posing a threat to life or property is inexcusable. With demands for accountability and change, the question remains: will the authorities heed the call or will the blue light continue to cast a shadow over Gauteng’s roads?