The recent suspension of nine parliamentary staff members facing disciplinary action has been hailed as a crucial step towards establishing accountability for the destructive fire that consumed the National Assembly and Old Assembly buildings.
Following last month’s investigation into the fire, it was revealed that minimum security standards were neglected, allowing the breach of Parliament to go undetected. The inquiry exposed a range of systemic and maintenance failures, including perimeter issues, malfunctioning emergency exits, lack of monitoring, absence of on-site protection services, and non-functional CCTV monitoring—factors that collectively contributed to the security breaches and hampered efforts to prevent and contain the fire.
Zandile Christmas Mafe, charged with arson in connection to the incident, is currently undergoing trial in the Western Cape High Court.
Over the weekend, Parliament acknowledged that the causes of the incident and alleged administrative irregularities were linked to specific employees, raising concerns about the systems and conduct within Parliament. External legal counsel has been engaged to guide the appropriate actions against those implicated.
Out of the 28 individuals facing significant allegations, 26 have responded to the accusations. One failed to respond, and another, initially in the hospital, has since expressed a willingness to address the allegations. For those with satisfactory justifications, Parliament is considering alternative measures such as professional development or additional training to address identified skill gaps.
However, some employees provided inadequate explanations, leading Parliament to organize disciplinary hearings. These staff members will soon receive notices specifying the charges they face. Due to the gravity of the allegations, nine out of the 13 facing disciplinary action have been placed on precautionary suspension with full pay and benefits, considering their senior positions and potential influence within the organization.
In preparation for the hearings, Parliament announced the appointment of external legal experts and chairpersons to ensure impartiality and eliminate any suspicion of bias.
Cope spokesperson Johnny Mokome commended Parliament’s efforts to hold accountable those implicated in negligence that resulted in the destruction of parliamentary buildings. He highlighted the importance of consequence management for human errors and technological failures.
Brett Herron, the GOOD Party secretary-general, emphasized the impact of the fire on democracy, affecting the functioning of Parliament and its committees. While not preempting the outcome of the disciplinary process, Herron welcomed the implementation of accountability, stating that those who cannot uphold a high level of responsibility to the institution and the people of South Africa do not deserve to remain in their positions.