By Norman Joseph
Serious security lapses at the Gallows Hill traffic department depot have been uncovered by a Cape Argus investigation.
A worried traffic officer conducted me to a restricted area behind the depot where we found a huge rubbish bin packed with dumped summonses and other documents, including traffic officers' personal files.
A senior traffic officer, who asked not to be named, told the Cape Argus: "This is a breach of security. I'm aggrieved by the fact that our names and addresses were lying around in a bin.
"These new summonses and Advice of Offence documents and personal files could land in the hands of the wrong people.
"People impersonating traffic officers could write out fake fines."
Later photographer Ian Landsberg and I strolled right through the department unchallenged to inspect the area again and take photos of the bin's contents.
The area is supposed to be closely monitored by security officers.
It is used for roadworthy tests by senior traffic police, and security officers are tasked with stopping and searching incoming vehicles.
After the concerned traffic officer left, it was amazing how easily Landsberg and I re-entered the foyer, walked past the long queues of people waiting in two corridors, passed traffic officers' offices, went into the backyard and walked to the back of the depot to the bin.
None of the traffic officers, including the one sitting at the entrance and those on duty in the front foyer at the counters, in the offices and standing around in the foyer, blinked an eye as we walked through the offices to the bin no less than three times.
Landsberg was able to snap away at will.
At one point an official on duty at the roadworthy testing site appeared behind the bin.
He stared at us, but did not ask any questions and walked away.
The bin is near storerooms and offices where confidential goods and items are stored. But no one asked us what we were doing taking photographs in a restricted area.
Approached for comment, Metro Police spokesperson Director Kevin Maxwell said he had opened an investigation to find out why the unused documents were in the bin.
He was also probing the alleged failures of the security officers and the dumping of traffic officers' personal files in the bin.