Parliament keeping findings of internal probe into arson attack under wraps for now
Parliament is still keeping under wraps the findings of its internal investigation into the arson attack that razed its key buildings 18 months ago.
Briefing the Parliamentary Gallery Association on Monday, secretary to Parliament Xolile George said the institution was still working through the findings of the independent probe before making them public.
To date, only one man, Zandile Mafe, is being held criminally liable for the fire.
But Parliament has not revealed whether any of its own officials were derelict in their duty in securing the precinct or in preventing the fire’s rapid spread.
Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George, initiated an investigation into the parliamentary fire soon after he took office a year ago.
The deputy secretary to Parliament, Baby Tyawa, who was suspended pending the outcome of the investigation, retired in May.
Parliament said at the time that this did not imply guilt on her part. After the fire, however, workers’ union, Nehawu, alleged that Parliament had done away with public holiday and weekend shifts as a cost-cutting measure.
“The reports did point out a number of vulnerabilities which we think a detailed response about reporting on the work, we would like to do that at an appropriate time once we’ve done quality assurance.”
Parliament has been without a permanent head of security since 2015.
“We envisaged that by March that would have been done and it has been quite difficult for us to get a candidate. We had to go headhunting.”
George said that Parliament hoped to make an appointment by September.
-EWN
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