Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille on Friday criticised reckless VIP protection officers, saying they were guilty of "pure power abuse" and "criminal behaviour".

Writing in her weekly newsletter on the DA website, she said the latest incident – last Saturday – involved Constable Hlanganani Nxumalo a VIP protection officer for KwaZulu-Natal Social Development MEC Meshack Radebe.

Nxumalo allegedly "shot the tyre of a Mazda that did not move out of his way quickly enough as he raced along the N3 towards Waterfall to collect his boss".

The Mazda's tyre blew; the car veered into oncoming traffic; it collided head-on with a bakkie; and in the ensuing chaos, eight people were injured.

"This is the most recent manifestation of criminal behaviour by the so-called 'blue-light bullies' – the VIP protection units that zig-zag in front of and behind the vehicles that transport executive officials to their public (and, often, private) engagements.

"In September, a 52-year-old woman from Cato Ridge was forced off the road by a vehicle with flashing blue lights. Its occupants made her pull over, and proceeded to assault her," Zille said.

"This is pure power abuse. It is criminal behaviour. It is the clearest manifestation of a culture that has taken hold of the ANC."

Believing they represented the will of the people, ANC leaders and their army of bodyguards believed they did not have to obey laws.

"It is an example set by ANC President Jacob Zuma.

"Almost every time he opens his mouth, he shows his contempt for the Constitution, whether he is talking about teenage pregnancy, suspects in criminal cases, or school prayers.

"This attitude is conveyed in practical ways as well, including his use of vehicles.

"The one good thing to have emerged from the latest incident of the ANC's (Robert) Mugabe-style cavalcades is that the courts seem to be drawing the line," she said.

When Nxumalo appeared in the Camperdown Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, charged with eight counts of attempted murder, Magistrate Thys Taljaard denied him bail.

To discourage the kind of power abuse to which Nxumalo was party, the DA had called upon the Independent Complaints Directorate to investigate the VIP Protection Services unit.

"And to disabuse blue-light-bullies of the notion that they are above the law, we have suggested that a code of conduct should be developed for the VIP unit over and above the existing SA Police Service Code of Conduct and SAPS Code of Ethics.

"We trust that both of these proposals will go some way to stemming the tide of power abuse we are increasingly witnessing on our roads and in our public places," Zille said.

Sapa