Mayor's office swept again 'to clear up saga'
Carvin Goldstone
February 19 2007 at 07:01AM
The National Intelligence Agency swept eThekwini Mayor Obed Mlaba's office at the Durban City Hall again last week "to clear up any controversy and insinuations" that there had been ulterior motives in the first sweep of his office in January.
There was an outcry from Mlaba when he walked in on four NIA officials sweeping his office for surveillance devices. He had not been informed of the sweep. The offices of Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo, Senior Manager S'the Mshengu and Speaker James Nxumalo had also been swept by the NIA.
Mshengu replied to Mlaba's queries that he had only been informed about the sweep an hour before the NIA officials arrived.
But the NIA argued that they would only sweep a government office at the request of the government entity. Following several media reports on the matter, Mlaba called a press conference at which he said his main concern was not who had ordered the sweep, but that he had not been informed why it was to be done. Following Mlaba's reaction last week, Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils instituted an investigation into the incident.
But the NIA argued that they would only sweep a government office at the request of the government entity. Following several media reports on the matter, Mlaba called a press conference at which he said his main concern was not who had ordered the sweep, but that he had not been informed why it was to be done. Following Mlaba's reaction last week, Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils instituted an investigation into the incident.
A senior NIA investigator was dispatched to Durban to find out why the occupants of the offices that had been swept had not been informed. NIA spokesperson Lorna Daniels said now that the investigation was concluded, Kasrils was satisfied that there had been no ulterior motives."It is clear that there was a regrettable lapse of communication between the NIA and the mayor's office.
A second sweep at the mayor's office was conducted (last) week to remove any doubt or concern that may have arisen following the incident," she said. Daniels said that the NIA and the municipality were satisfied that all was in order and considered the matter closed. Mshengu and Municipal Manager Michael Sutcliffe were reluctant to confirm the second sweep. Sutcliffe said he did not consider the sweeps a matter to be discussed.
This article was originally published on page 3 of The Mercury on February 19, 2007
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