Security at the OR Tambo International Airport (Ortia) will see a complete overhaul soon according to Police Minister, Fikile Mbalula.
Speaking at a media briefing yesterday (Monday), he voiced his concern about the safety and security at Ortia following an inspection of security measures at the airport earlier in June as well as a slew of recent security breaches, despite a heavily visible police presence.
Mbalula pointed to corruption and collusion by police officers and security and service personnel in “cahoots” with criminals as the reason for what he called easily preventable incidents.
In order to combat the rampant crime at the airport he announced that all people working at Ortia would be vetted and rotated, tactical response would be intensified, and he would be increasing the presence of police and security personnel.
“There will be a joint deployment to the airport that will include crime intelligence, the Hawks, and detectives,” added Mbalula. “This team will operate out of an operations room where crime will be monitored on a daily basis at the airport and a report will be sent to me on a weekly basis, on the progress being made in this regard.”
He added that people entering or leaving the airport would be searched and that the executive mayor of Ekurhuleni would be deploying more EMPD (Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department) officers to assist the South African Police Service at Ortia.
Mbalula said that a meeting with all government agencies within the security cluster would take place at the airport on July 21 in order to thrash out a master plan.
