National key points: What is Mthethwa hiding?
The DA has, through parliamentary questions to a series of government departments acquired a list of national key points in South Africa. This comes after repeated requests to the Minister of Police,
Nathi Mthethwa - under whose watch all national key points fall - for a comprehensive list of all key points and the criteria used to classify them. Minister Mthethwa has consistently refused to provide us with this list, claiming that this is due to security considerations.
However, the Departments of State Security, Home Affairs, Health, Science and Technology, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and several others, have without hesitation supplied us with a list of all the key points falling under their departments. Minister Mthethwa's refusal to supply us with this list thus begs the question: What is he trying to hide?
Minister Mthethwa claims that his department has conducted an audit of all national key points in South Africa, which he committed to tabling in Parliament at the end of August. What is of real concern is that he has refused to provide a list of the current key points and only commits to revealing a ‘revised' list after the audit is complete. Worryingly, he has also refused to provide a list of private residences that are protected under this Act.
I will write to Minister Mthethwa to request the following: