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Security at Parliament fails to keep intruders out – again

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Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said that the upgrading of security was ‘an ongoing project Picture: Lindile Mbontsi
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo said that the upgrading of security was ‘an ongoing project Picture: Lindile Mbontsi

Police are investigating yet another intrusion at Parliament, this time in one of the legislature’s committee rooms.

City Press understands that someone gained access to the public gallery of Committee Room M46, which is on the ground floor of Marks Building, on Wednesday night, a few hours after the venue hosted a meeting of the portfolio committee on cooperative governance and traditional affairs.

“There is a case of unauthorised access being investigated by the police, and footage identifying the culprit has been handed to the police for further investigation and appropriate action,” said parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.

He said there was no evidence of theft and that the culprit and the motive were being investigated.

But City Press sources who have intimate knowledge of the incident claimed that projectors, a monitor and cables were stolen from the venue’s public gallery.

The incident is the latest in a slew of security breaches in Parliament over the past year, which include forced entry at the SABC offices where journalists’ computers were stolen in April last year.

The SABC offices are in the same building, which also houses the opposition parties’ offices.

There was a burglary in the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) building in August.

The burglar, who was caught on CCTV cameras, broke a window to gain access to one of the NCOP offices, ransacked filing cabinets, scattering the documents stored in them, and then made off with a computer keyboard and monitor.

City Press sources were adamant that ammunition was also stolen during this incident, which was dismissed by Parliament.

The legislature has elevated its security features over the past few months.

In January, City Press reported that Parliament had installed new security cameras along the corridors between the National Assembly chamber and the Poorthuis exit ahead of the state of the nation address in February.

At the time, Mothapo said the new cameras would increase visitors’ security.

He added that the upgrade of parliamentary infrastructure, which included security and broadcasting cameras, was an ongoing project.

“The broadcasting infrastructure, for instance, which entails installation of new high-definition cameras in committee rooms and chambers, began four years ago,” he said at the time, adding that the focus was on public areas within Parliament to ensure appropriate safety for all members of the public who visit the legislature and whose welfare is the responsibility of Parliament.

Public areas include public galleries, areas around the committee rooms and open spaces in and around the parliamentary precinct.

This week’s security breach at Parliament is also the latest in a string of high-profile robberies at state institutions.

Last year, the offices of the National Prosecuting Authority and the Hawks, as well as the office of the Chief Justice, were accessed illegally.

Meanwhile, the Cape Town High Court has dismissed an urgent interdict brought by suspended secretary to Parliament Gengezi Mgidlana earlier this month to stop a parliamentary disciplinary process against him from going ahead.

The hearing was supposed to start on April 9, but Mgidlana approached the courts seeking an urgent interdict to halt the disciplinary process pending a review of an audit committee report.

Parliament’s internal audit committee investigated Mgidlana’s receipt of an ex gratia payment of R71 000 just months after he joined Parliament, the improper allocation of a study bursary, improper travel management and irregular procurement of services.

The committee recommended that he should face a disciplinary hearing.

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