News24 reports that a police officer faces disciplinary proceedings after a parliamentary official committed suicide on the legislature's precinct two weeks ago – an incident which has raised security concerns at the national key point.
Lennox Garane took his own life in his office on 14 September. Since then, there have been many questions about how he managed to get a gun onto the premises. On Wednesday, the police told a joint meeting of the portfolio committees of police and public works that when Garane entered the 90 Plein Street building, where his office was based, he displayed his permit in the direction of the police's static protector stationed at the entrance. However, he walked through without placing his bag through the x-ray machine. "The static protector contravened the Static Protection Standard Operating Procedure by allowing Mr Garane to gain access to the building without screening," Major General Leon Rabie told the committees. On 15 September, the officer in question was served with a notice of intended suspension. Rabie also presented some "security deficiencies" identified at Parliament since the incident. DA MP Zakhele Mbhele expressed concern that the morale of the police officers at Parliament contributed to lax security enforcement.
- Read this report by Jan Gerber in full at News24
- Read too, Parliament probes security after suicide, on page 6 of Sowetan of 27 September 2018
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page