Eight police officers assigned to a security team for South Africa's deputy president appeared in court on Monday facing assault charges.

It all started when plainclothes protection officers driving an escort for the vice-president, Paul Mashatile, stopped a vehicle and dragged two police trainees out of the car and attacked them earlier this month.

According to Lusa, one of the assailants was kicked and knocked unconscious in the attack, which was recorded on video by another driver and shared on social media.

Mashatile, who was unaware of what had happened as he was not in the car when the assaults took place, condemned the conduct of the officers who were suspended from duty.

The eight officers were arrested on Sunday and taken to a Johannesburg police station before appearing in court today for a first hearing.

Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Independent Police Investigation Directorate, which investigates police misconduct, said that the eight will be charged with assault, malicious damage to property and firearms offenses.