Johannesburg - Deputy Water Minister Pamela Tshwete's house in King Williams Town, in the Eastern Cape, has been burgled, her office said in a statement on Sunday.
The house was broken into on Saturday night and industrial cooking equipment including pots and cutlery were stolen, spokesman Phakamisa Hobongwana said in a statement.
This followed a similar burglary at Tshwete's home last year.
“They (ministers and deputy ministers) are hardly in their personal households due to government business and that is why the Ministerial Handbook provides that, security must be provided in all state houses including their personal homes.” After the burglary at Tshwete's home last year, a security upgrade was requested and a security assessment was conducted in September last year. A report with recommendations on security was submitted to the department of public works in April.
“It is regrettable that since then nothing has been done towards stepping the minimum security requirements as provided by the Ministerial Handbook,” Hobongwana said.
“The department of public works is urged to take seriously the security of all public representatives especially in their homes where their dependants stay on their own.” Public works could not immediately be reached for comment.
Sapa