SAPS under fire for escorting KZN learner to Matric dance
KZN SAPS escorted matriculants like VIP celebs, and some netizens aren’t so happy
Ah, South Africa. Only here can a Matric Dance look like a Fast & Furious movie premiere.
Over the weekend in Estcourt, KwaZulu-Natal, a bunch of Grade 12s rolled up to their Matric Dance with a full-on SAPS blue-light escort.
Real cops. Real rifles. Real “move, move, this is official business” energy.
TikTok footage of the event shows police cars, sirens blaring, and officers standing guard as if Beyoncé herself was about to step out the vehicle.
Instead, it was just some very stressed-out teenagers praying they didn’t trip on the red carpet.
@maskandi_channel Estcourt High student escorted by SAPS to Matric Dance#matricdance #saps #estcourthighschool ♬ original sound - Maskandi Channel - MC
As expected, Mzansi social media went into meltdown. Some people were outraged:
“State vehicles, which taxpayers pay for, should not be used for any non-SAPS related events.”
“This is why vans are always unavailable. They’re attending Matric Dances!”
Ouch. Someone clearly didn’t get an invite.
Another side of the internet came through with a little more positivity:
“We need to inspire young people that SAPS is not just about fighting crime.”
“As a taxpayer, I’m not complaining.”
Translation: “If my kid doesn’t arrive to their Matric Dance looking like a Cabinet Minister, what am I even paying for?”
Before you start calling the Hawks, turns out this isn’t illegal.
According to The South African, the public can actually request police escorts for private events - including weddings, funerals, and, you guessed it, Matric Dances.
At the end of the day, it was a classic South African moment: a little bit controversial, a little bit ridiculous, but definitely memorable.
Those Matriculants got an entrance they’ll never forget, and with the way 2025 is going, we could all use a little bit of extra drama in our lives.
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