Environmental Affairs Committee disappointed by despicable behaviour of City of Cape Town official in Parliament
4 February 2019
The Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs is appalled by the behaviour of a City of Cape Town official, Ms Caroline Knott who the committee was informed is the advisor to the Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Mr Dan Plato.
The committee today held an inquiry into the incident that took place at Clifton 4th Beach on Sunday, 23 December 2018. The committee had requested the Department of Environmental Affairs, Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSIRA), The City of Cape Town, Professional Protection Alternatives (PPA) Security company, South African Police Service (SAPS) and affected people to appear before it to explain the Clifton 4th Beach incident.
During the committee meeting, while a member of the public who was at Clifton 4th Beach with her family on that day was making a presentation, Ms Knott kept on making comments to her colleagues and making gestures that could be viewed as intimidating the presenter as Ms Knott was seated in close proximity to the presenter, Ms Sheeham Samaai.
The Chairperson of the committee requested Ms Knott to stop the behaviour and a dialogue ensued between the Chairperson and Ms Knott. At this point the Chairperson of the committee informed Ms Knott that her behaviour was not allowed in Parliament and members of the public should not be engaged in a dialogue with the Chairperson of the committee.
After it was evident that the dialogue would not stop, the Chairperson used Rule 188 of the National Assembly Rules, 9th edition and requested Ms Knott to excuse herself from the meeting. Ms Knott refused to leave. The Chairperson then adjourned the meeting and requested Parliamentary Protection Services to come to the meeting to remove Ms Knott from the meeting. Ms Knott eventually left on her own and the meeting resumed. The committee condemns the behaviour of Ms Knott that sought to undermine the proceedings of the committee.
The committee welcomes the presentations that were made today by all stakeholders that appeared before it and the clarity that was provided by the presentations. The committee particularly appreciates the presentations made by the members of the public who experienced the incident that took place at Clifton 4th Beach on 23 December 2018.
The committee was informed by PSIRA that charges were served for violation of the Code of Conduct on three security officers, the Director of PPA and to PPA as a legal entity and that there is a hearing on this matter scheduled for 04 March 2019. The committee is also aware that the Department of Environmental Affairs is also conducting an investigation on this matter. The committee is looking forward to the outcomes of the enquiry by PSIRA and the investigation by the department.
The committee is particularly unhappy with the reported conduct of the PPA where; based from today’s deliberations in the committee meeting; that they exceed their mandate and conduct public functions that are supposed to be conducted by SAPS of monitoring and regulating the conduct of members of the public in the beaches. In this regard the committee would like to support the current inquiry by PSIRA looking at the conduct of PPA.
Issued by Phillemon Mapulane, Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Environmental Affairs, 4 January 2019
