by Sthembile Shelembe ;

President Jacob Zuma has requested a report from the SA Police Service on the incident that took place when an online 702 journalist was allegedly intimidated by the SAPS VIP Protection unit after he had taken photographs of President Jacob Zuma’s convoy.

The journalist, Tshepo Lesole was allegedly grabbed from behind, taken to a corner and forced to delete all the photographs that he had taken of the line of BMW’s that had brought the president and his entourage.

The incident happened on Tuesday morning when the president was visiting Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital.

The President had been at the hospital to inspect the renovated section as well as effective service delivery because the ANC had identified health as one of its key priorities over the next five years.

Zuma’s VIP Protection Unit came under scrutiny again after a second incident which involved Mail & Guardian photographer Delwyn Verasamy and intern Lionel Faull being detained, for no apparent legal reason, by two guards at Zuma's Forest Town home.

The President’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the following:

"The presidency recognises the need for the media to be able to freely and effectively cover the president's activities.

"The presidency also recognises that the presidential protection unit has a responsibility to guarantee the president's safety at all times, and to take all reasonable and necessary measures to ensure his security is not compromised."

Magwenya said Zuma's protection was the responsibility of the SAPS and the presidency played "no direct role in this function".

Head of news and current affairs at Primedia Broadcasting, Yusuf Abramjee, had yesterday the 18th March 2010 voiced his plans to raise the incident involving their (702 Radio- Primedia Broadcasting) journalist and the many others against journalists that have taken place before at the next meeting of the SA National Editors Forum/SAPS task team.

He said that he will also be raising the issue with the National Police Commissioner, Bheki Cele and possibly with the President of the Republic himself, Jacob Zuma.
Presidency spokesman Vincent Magwenya said the presidency was discussing a proposal for a workshop between the presidential protection unit and the media with the SAPS.