[In] the open, opportunity society law enforcement agencies must protect innocent citizens against power abuse. Unfortunately, in our society, there are some cases where the police themselves are accessories to power abuse.

When we assumed office nine months ago, one of the first things we did was to instruct the VIP Protection Services to desist from using blue lights and sirens on ministerial vehicles unless in exceptional circumstances, very narrowly defined. We did this because we don't believe that politicians should have special rights and privileges that other citizens don't have. We share the public's disgust at being forced off the road by blue light bullies escorting self-important politicians.

This week, we again saw an example of this abuse. On Tuesday, Chumani Maxwele was detained overnight and interrogated by the President's VIP protection officers, who allegedly put a bag over his head, after he gestured at the President's convoy.

We are not a police state. We are a constitutional democracy. We will therefore introduce legislation, in terms of our constitutional competencies for provincial roads and traffic, as well as road traffic regulation, to prevent any politician - from any sphere of government - using blue-light convoys and sirens in the Western Cape, unless a genuine emergency arises.

And being late for a meeting does not constitute an emergency.

This is an extract from Premier Helen Zille's State of the Province Address (see here), Western Cape Provincial Legislature, February 19 2010

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