Members of Jacob Zuma's security detail were involved in a scuffle with members of the press earlier this week. The altercation reportedly revolved around an incident in which an Eyewitness News journalist and photographer were "manhandled" and forced to delete photographs they had taken of president Jacob Zuma earlier in the day.

Clearly JZ needs protection (he also needs to use some protection but that's a different matter altogether!), but from a press photographer? What are the VIP protection unit oafs afraid of? Are they scared the photographers are gonna flash JZ to death? There was an interesting discussion by David O' Sullivan on 702 yesterday afternoon. Sadly I only caught the tail end, but David mentioned something about a ludicrous insinuation by someone that the president's cavalcade is considered a national key point. Ok, for those not in the know, a national key point is basically a place where security is more important than anything else and people are restricted from doing various things including taking photographs, etc in the interest of national security. First of all Jacob Zuma is not a place - even if he has enough kids to fill a postal code. And secondly: who is going to carry the sign that identifies Jacob Zuma as a national keypoint wherever he goes?

Jacob Zuma, to his credit, has requested that an investigation be conducted into the various cases of *harassment* allegedly committed by his VIP protection unit. But, as is usually the case with these so-called investigations, only time will tell if anything actually materialises from this. Let's be honest here, Jacob Zuma doesn't like media very much... it's probably a safe bet that if Jacob Zuma were given the choice to meet a journalist for lunch or be converted to a Xhosa man, he'd opt for the latter...

Lastly, why did it take an uproar in the media before the presidency ordered an investigation? Surely Jacob Zuma could have stepped in and calmed the situation and prevented the harassment from taking place before it, well, took place? He was, after all, there! Surely the VIP protection unit members are briefed continuously on what they should and shouldn't be doing? Unless harassing media members is a standing order....