Probe finds Parliament fire 'could have been prevented'
An investigation into the fire that gutted Parliament has fingered a failure to implement security policies and non-compliance with occupational health and safety standards.
The blaze engulfed five floors of the National Assembly building and an adjacent Old Assembly Wing on the day after New Year's last year.
It caused the roof to collapse and destroyed hundreds of offices which housed Members of Parliament.
Zandile Mafe was arrested and charged in connection with starting the fire. He remains behind bars as his case continues.
He faces charges of terrorism, robbery and arson.
Secretary to Parliament Xolile George released the investigation report into the blaze in Cape Town on Wednesday.
The investigation focused on security breach identification, breach attribution, security enhancement, recommendations and consequence management guidance.
Smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire alarm
It found that the fire incident could have been prevented, or its extent limited, if Parliamentary Protection Services officers were on duty at night and on public holidays and weekends during the 2021/2022 compulsory leave period.
It also found that smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, fire alarm panels, emergency notification systems, and evacuation route planning were non-existent, showing non-compliance with fire regulations.
Security breach, CCTV, fence
The probe identified systems and maintenance failures that contributed to both the security breach and the failure to prevent and contain the fire.
Failures include the height of the perimeter fence, the absence of perimeter monitoring, a malfunctioning emergency exit door, deficiencies in fire panels, and an unreliable REMRAD system.
The absence of on-site Parliamentary Protection Services officers resulted in a lack of CCTV monitoring.
According to George, Parliament's perimeter fence vulnerability was flagged as far back as 2004 by police.
"Lapses in perimeter monitoring were identified, including an incident where a SAPS officer tasked with monitoring a motion-detection camera had been asleep when an intruder breached the fence,” he said.
"The investigation raised questions regarding SAPS patrols during that period and identified additional complications such as a malfunctioning CCTV video wall and a problematic emergency exit door."
He said Parliament will now have to address the absence of a Head of Security Management, the lack of a structured security committee, and delays in the security enhancement project.
"The report underscored pressing concerns that demand prompt attention and rectification, including non-compliance with established building regulations, inadequacies in maintenance practices, and shortcomings in the Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) unit/audit,” he said.
Recommendations and Consequence Management
The report recommended action be taken against five officials for failure to implement security policies, ensure compliance with occupational health and safety standards, and establish a security committee.
Findings and remedial actions against the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and SAPS have been referred to Parliament.
"In light of the identified fire safety deficiencies, a comprehensive approach is proposed to rectify these issues, including rational fire design, detailed risk assessments, enhanced fire safety systems, and regular maintenance by competent contractors,” said George.
"Security enhancements are also deemed indispensable and are being actively addressed, underscoring their paramount importance. To bolster security measures, a significant step has been taken with the establishment of a new senior position, Chief of Security, who reports directly to the Secretary to Parliament," he added.
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