City hall beefs up lax security

eThekwini municipality is beefing up security following a number of violent interruptions to city executive committee meetings in the past year.

eThekwini municipality is beefing up security following a number of violent interruptions to city executive committee meetings in the past year.

Published Oct 23, 2017

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The Durban City Hall is set for R2.5 million upgrades as councillors try to beef up security at the hall, which houses the mayor’s office and serves as a seat for executive committee (Exco) meetings.  

 

A document tabled at an Exco meeting earlier on Monday shows that R2.1 million will be spent on four bag scanners and metal detectors, while R200 000 will be spent on four security sliding doors.

 

The remaining R150 000 will be spent on four scanners and accessories. 

 

These upgrades come as councillors have been raising concerns about lax security at city hall.

Last year, there were at least two incidents in which angry residents stormed the city hall and disrupted Exco meetings.

 

In one case, in October last year, former members of the Azanian People’s Liberation Army (Apla) disrupted an Exco meeting complaining that members were being overlooked for job opportunities, while preference is given to former uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) members.

 

DA councillor Heinz de Boer asked for a presentation on the features. “Particularly the security sliding doors for R200 000; those things they better be very strong because you know when these guys come in, they come with power.”

 

Barbara Fortein, the chairperson of the Governance and Human Resources committee, said the DA was being disingenuous for asking for a presentation when one had been made before the whole process started.

 

“Before we could start this process we did an in depth presentation with an overhead projector. We showed them exactly where the features will be we told them about the ramp for the disabled,” she said.

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