About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

Alert

FXI criticizes police silence on break-in at Deputy President's home

(FXI/IFEX) - The following is a 1 September 2005 FXI press release:

Statement by FXI on police silence over break-in at Deputy President's home

The Freedom of Expression Institute expresses its grave concern over the police maintaining secrecy for 17 days over the housebreaking at the home of Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka in Morningside, Johannesburg, on August 13.

The police admitted on August 30 that the burglary had taken place after three suspects appeared in court on housebreaking and theft charges. The FXI believes that the police had no right to maintain secrecy over such a serious breach of the security screen surrounding the Deputy President, who it appears, was at home at the time of the break-in. The South African public has a right to know what occurrences touch the lives of its leaders and especially when it is a crime that suggests that the 18-person security barrier surrounding the deputy president failed.

A newspaper stated that the police tried desperately to keep the security breach quiet to avoid fuelling political rumours. If this is accurate it is outrageous that the police should take it upon themselves firstly to withhold important information from the media and the public and then make political decisions. The FXI believes that it would appear that the police were trying to cover up a serious lapse of security, which raises the further question of what other important matters are being kept secret by the police?