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Mbeki residence targeted by thieves
Independent, The (London), May 8, 2008 by Ian Evans
President Thabo Mbeki has become the latest victim of South Africa's crime wave after thieves climbed on to the roof of his official residence in Pretoria and stole aluminium coverings designed to protect CCTV and electronic equipment.
Contractors claim the thieves simply drove out of the property with their loot because guards only check vehicles on entry.
The residence, Mahlambandlopfu, has been undergoing an upgrade of its electronic fittings. It is unclear whether the President was in residence when the theft took place, which the contractor Ubani thinks happened over the weekend.
The company was told not to talk to the media about the incident but said the theft amounted to nearly R30,000 (2,000).
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The 10mm aluminium wire was part of a network of electronic fittings, including closed-circuit television cameras and computer systems, designed to protect the house against lightning.
Kevin Bredenkamp, of Ubani, told the Afrikaans newspaper Die Beeld that guards checked their vans upon entry each morning but not when they left. "The vehicles are never searched when we drive out, which probably means that none of the cars which drive out are searched," he said. "If the thieves can do this, then it means they could hit the President over the head, roll him up in a blanket and drive out of there."
Superintendent Vish Naidoo, national spokesman for the South African Police Service, said last night: "First we are investigating whether a theft took place at the property.
"There have been extensive renovations going on there and if the theft took place, it will have happened between 21 April and Tuesday, which is a long time. If there was, we will investigate that. At no time was there a compromise or breach of security - the place is well protected by SAPS members and there was no actual break-in."
President Mbeki has been accused of ignoring crime and it was seen as one of the reasons he lost the ANC leadership vote last December to Jacob Zuma.
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