A man in his 30s is in police custody after allegedly unlawfully entering the parliamentary precinct in the early hours of Friday morning.
Parliament says the man was immediately apprehended by Parliamentary Protection Services before being handed over to the South African Police Service.
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo says the incident did not disrupt parliamentary operations.
He says Parliament takes unauthorised access seriously and continues to maintain appropriate security measures.
Security strategist Andy Mashaile says the incident raises questions about security at one of the country’s key institutions.
Mashaile says Parliament should conduct a comprehensive security analysis, including testing whether its current security measures can withstand a deliberate attempt to breach the precinct.
“In conducting that full security analysis, they should red team the perimeter as well as the security of the institution. Red teaming would mean getting people who would independently try and breach, or use expertise to breach, the security or to penetrate, so that that team can analyse and disclose what they discovered and then work around it,” Mashaile says.
He says this could include “red teaming” — bringing in independent security experts to attempt to breach the institution’s perimeter and identify potential vulnerabilities.
Mashaile says the findings could then be used to strengthen security measures and address any weaknesses identified.
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