Passing the buck

2003-06-22 21:00

Christi van der Westhuizen and Anesca Smith

Cape Town - Some Members of Parliament and other residents of Acasia Park are opposing measures to tighten access security at the parliamentary town because they do not want to carry more security passes.

Deputy minister of public works Musa Zondi said on Sunday that residents, including some ministers, were railroading his department's attempts to improve security after several cases of housebreaking and other crimes occurred in the area over the past year.

African National Congress MP, Loretta Jacobus, confirmed that people were freely moving in and out of the compound and that police did not query the reasons for their visits.

"I don't know why some residents are opposed to stricter access control," she said.

MPs apparently say that tighter security "will make it more difficult" to enter Acasia Park, but that it would identify those that enter the compound.

Illegal

The debate over the access security measures comes after allegations that members of parliament and government officials were letting their residences in the parliamentary town to outsiders.

Zondi said that some of the people being prosecuted in connection with crimes in the area were family members of MPs and government officials.

"The criminals are not strangers. Those who are not family members, are related to domestic workers in the employ of MPs and other officials."

Apparently, several people living in Acasia Park are staying there illegally, but with the knowledge of parliamentarians.

Property let

Two Democratic Alliance MPs who were victims of crime in the area, Mark Lowe and Nelson Raju, said they were aware of MPs and officials letting their houses at high rates, while, as parliamentary staff, they only paid about R250 per month in rent to the department of public works.

The department now wants to remove all illegal residents, Zondi said. His department is currently conducting an audit to determine who is staying illegally in Acasia Park.

Superintendent Riaan Pool, police spokesperson, said nine cases of housebreaking were reported last year. Thus far this year, this number has doubled.

- Die Burger