Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) Chairperson Songezo Zibi, on Friday, revealed that he had beefed up his personal security after following a police alert about a potential security threat to his safety.

This was after people were found taking photographs while he was in a meeting with one of the deputy ministers amid Scopa’s preparations for the parliamentary inquiry into the Road Accident (RAF).

Zibi said he had met a deputy minister for finance days after meeting an individual who provided him with a file detailing overpayments to RAF medical service providers.

“What happened at some point is that the national police commissioner commissioned a threat assessment on myself and determined I need to improve my personal security, which I did.

“There were people who were observing my previous meeting on the Tuesday and were now observing my meeting with the deputy finance minister and taking photographs of us,” he said.

Zibi, who is also the leader of Rise Mzansi, expressed uncertainty about the intentions of those observing him; it could be that they wanted to see who he was talking to.

“It is possible the person who gave me information on the Tuesday was photographed as well. What may happen to them, I don’t know. I had to make my own arrangement in respect of my own security in this matter.”

The Scopa chairperson said that although nobody had threatened him, he knew who had been following him.

“I know which car has been following me and who it belongs to. That information has been passed to the police,” he said.

Zibi said he was not sure what else he could do.

“There is certainly nothing else I can do. The security I have now has made observations that get passed to law enforcement. In my case, I have not received a threat, but there are people who follow me,” he said.

MK Party MP David Skosana advised that Zibi should, in the future, not go alone to meetings with individuals on committee-related work.

“Perhaps one or two members should accompany you. It would be like it is all about you instead of being an issue of the committee,” Skosana said.

EFF MP Ntombovuyo Mente said they were dealing with the RAF, which has threats from all sides.

“In a physical meeting, we should get a report of what kind of threat we deal with. I need us to get information in terms of the safety issue, who is threatening whom based on what,” Mente said.

She said Parliament needed to deal with the security issues, and law enforcement agencies should be involved if there was a need.

In her briefing to the committee, parliamentary legal advisor Fatima Ebrahim said Scopa received 89 submissions mainly from legal practitioners, medical practitioners, and current and former RAF employees.

“Approximately 10% of those were anonymous, and then another 5% appear to have used pseudonyms or an alias,” Ebrahim said.

She said they have contacted some of these people, and they managed to get their contact details, but there were concerns from the people about safety and security.

 “We can’t force people to come to the committee, notwithstanding that you have the right to summon any person,” Ebrahim said.

Zibi said protection of whistle-blowers is a big issue, and Parliament has a particular responsibility to ensure this is done.

He told of instances where former employees of the RAF feel extremely afraid, while others don’t feel at risk.

“We are to make arrangements for them to be able to come and provide information to the committee.”

Zibi said while nobody has been threatened, people feel threatened given what happens to whistle-blowers.

“What we need to do is to treat the submissions with the necessary care and not expose them to further feelings of being unsafe otherwise, people will not assist Parliament,” he said, adding that one person with first-hand knowledge of the RAF happenings told parliamentary legal services that they don’t leave their house unnecessarily.

mayibongqwe.maqhina@inl.co.za

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