An official enquiry has found that a breach in security led to the devastating parliamentary fire in Cape Town, on January 2nd 2022.
Recently, the report on the January 2022 fire concluded. The investigation sought to identify the security breach that allowed an intruder to move unrestricted within parliamentary grounds for an extended period.
The report has found that the main culprit managed to enter the establishment via a door with a sleeping security guard.
“The fire incident which saw parliament go up in smoke could have been prevented, or its extent limited, if parliamentary protection services officers were deployed at night, on public holidays and weekends,” the report said, referencing the lack of any reinforcement behind the ‘absent’ guard.
The security breach was also enabled due to a lack of CCTV service within the parliamentary building, which swiftly lost track of the intruder after he had entered the premises.
“The absence of a designated head of security management, the lack of a structured security committee, and delays in the security enhancement project were also highlighted as critical issues currently being addressed,” the report continued.
Pervasive non-compliance was numerous in the building, resulting in an individual walking through a damaged fence, heading through restricted areas within minimal security presence and gaining access to support pillars of the building with their own flammable supplies – leading to the act.
The South African government has promised to bolster the building security as part of the ongoing redesign, ensuring such cannot happen again.
