Parly probes security after suicide

‘Bullied’ Garane’s bag not screened

Parliament official Lennox Garane, who committed sucide a fortnight ago, did not place his bag through an X-ray machine at one of the parliamentary entrances when he arrived for work in the morning, the department of public works and the police say.

Garane shot himself in his office later on Friday September 14 and left a note, saying he could not take the bullying from his manager any longer.

The police officer stationed at that entrance was served with a suspension notice the following day and is facing a disciplinary process.

Police found that the officer contravened the static protection standard operating procedure by allowing Garane to gain access to the building without screening the bag.

Police and public works documents presented to a joint meeting of the public works and police portfolio committees show that Garane‚ who worked at parliament’s international relations unit‚ arrived at the 90 Plein Street building and entered the access control area in the basement.

“He showed his permit in the direction of the SAPS [SA Police Service] static protector and walked through without placing his bag through the Xray machine‚” reads a police document.

One of Garane’s colleagues later heard a gunshot from Garane’s office. Leon Rabie, from the police, said when their static response team responded‚ they found the door to Garane’s office locked from the inside.

Through the door they saw Garane sitting on a couch in the office with a wound to his head and what appeared to be a firearm on his chest. He was declared dead on the scene.

Rabie said the police’s approach to use physical security measures as part of its security strategy by means of a layered approach was in line with international standards. “The shortcoming in using physical security measures is found in the lack of implementation‚ as well as ensuring the effective working and operating of physical security equipment.”