NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
WRITTEN REPLY
PQ573. Mr M A Nhanha (Cope) to ask the Minister of Defence and Military Veterans:
(1) Whether the Naval Command Centre (NCC) at Silvermine was under threat from a communication systems breakdown; if so, what are the relevant details; if not,
(2) whether her department has (a) verified recent reports of alleged theft and stripping of electronic assets at the base and (b) reported it to police agencies; if not, why not, in each case; if so, what are the relevant details in each case;
(3) whether her department has calculated the cost of (a) repair of the damaged and (b) replacing of the (i) stolen property and (ii) systems; if not, why not; if so, what is the cost in each case;
(4) whether suspects have been arrested; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(5) whether her department has put measures in place to prevent such incidents in future; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW728E
REPLY
(1) No. The Naval Command Centre (NCC) at Silvermine work in a complementary manner with Naval Communication Centre Durban. Occasionally, one of the centres will also go off air for maintenance and the other one will take over its functions for a short while.
(2) Yes. There are 5 cases opened which are under investigation dealing with cable and equipment theft. The investigations are conducted by both Military Police and South African Police Services.
(3) No. There is a plan to replace equipment through a project launched to improve security measures. As these were acquired 20 years ago; the cost for re-installation has not been calculated due to the unavailability of lost property in the market.
(4) No. The cases are still under investigation.
(5) Yes. South African Navy has removed all valuable equipment until the Department of Public Works replaces the fence. A Maritime Reaction Squadron Platoon has been permanently deployed to the area in order to further safeguard the remaining equipment.
Issued by Parliament, May 6 2013
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