Confirmed burglaries at some ministerial residences in Pretoria drew a stony silence from the police on Thursday.
”The SA Police Service is not commenting,” said national spokesperson Senior Superintendent Selby Bokaba.
Asked about the reason for this, he said: ”I am not obliged to tell you why.”
Finance ministry spokesperson Logan Wort confirmed reports that burglars had ransacked a house Finance Minister Trevor Manuel and Education Minister Kader Asmal share in Bryntirion.
The house next door in the government residential compound of Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad, was reportedly also broken into on Tuesday night.
Communication officials from his department said they had no information on the matter. Pahad was on a visit to Mozambique on Thursday.
Wort confirmed Manuel and Asmal were asleep while thieves were wandering around in their home. They stole Manual’s laptop computer, a camera, crockery, cutlery and other household items.
Asmal and Manuel share a house in Pretoria when their presence is not required in Cape Town for Parliamentary duties. A carload of thieves reportedly entered Bryntirion estate by slipping past dozens of VIP protection unit policemen guarding the complex.
Numerous Cabinet members, as well as President Thabo Mbeki, reside on the estate, one of the most closely-guarded premises in the capital city.
Pretoria police referred all enquiries to Bokaba.
The Acacia Park parliamentary village in Cape Town, housing MPs and government officials, has also seen a spate of recent burglaries. – Sapa