The African Christian Democratic Party has demanded an urgent inquiry following the discovery of ”bugging equipment” in its City of Cape Town caucus room on Wednesday.
The bugging equipment was linked to high-frequency transmitter/receiver devices and video cabling leading into the ceiling of the caucus room, the party said in a statement.
”ACDP Cape Town councillors discovered the cluster of audio-video equipment upon entering the caucus room prior to the council meeting [on Wednesday morning].
”Councillor Ivann Kirsten immediately approached city head of security Deon Neft, who eventually admitted that the equipment belonged to him.
”Visibly shaken, Mr Neft urged Kirsten not to produce the communication device in the council chamber because of the sensitive nature of the equipment,” it said.
According to Neft, the equipment was not used to spy on political caucuses, but rather to record happenings ”on the floor and security points”.
”Demanding immediate access to the caucus room in order to retrieve the equipment as well as the video recordings housed in a cupboard, the ACDP was not only denied access by security, but was informed that the video material was not viewable as the system had been compromised during the discovery.”
The ACDP had demanded an urgent and thorough enquiry into the security breach, as well as access to its caucus room, the statement said.
Kirsten said the incident left serious questions as to the behaviour of senior city officials, as well as the extent to which it ”has been endorsed by the mayor [Nomaindia Mfeketo] and her ANC/NNP coalition”.
”A thorough enquiry into this security and privacy breach is necessary, followed by a comprehensive written report to be submitted to council urgently. We will not let this matter rest until the truth has been exposed,” Kirsten said. — Sapa