Members of the Pan African Parliament are debating a proposal to relocate the house from South Africa.

The PAP is currently based in Midrad, Gauteng Province within the Johannesburg metropolitan municipality.

A series of attacks on members of the parliament is partly forcing the rethink, with members demanding a safer alternative.

The debate came up on August 2, 2016 following the fifth attack on non South African members.

In the latest incident, PAP member Aissatou Sow Diawara from Senegal was shot and critically injured on July 28, while leaving the OR Tambo International Airport. Her three colleagues from Namibia were robbed of their belongings. They later returned to Namibia, without attending the session that is still on-going.

Last tear in August and October, other members of PAP were attacked. Two other attacks took place in March and May this year.

Members want their host, the South Africa government to guarantee their security while in the country.

“We are not escorted by police and there is no protection provided to us in our hotels,” said Haidara Aichata, a PAP member from Mali.

Fortune Charumbira, a PAP member from Zimbabwe said the South African government withdrew different privileges including the police escort, leaving members susceptible to attacks.

Members argue that the South African government withdrew the privileges for PAP members after the host country agreement with African Union lapsed, which means Pretoria was no longer obliged to provide elaborate services to the legislators.

Privileges

The host agreement expired in 2009, but South Africa and the African Union failed to agree on a renewal, over the government’s failure to provide a permanent site for PAP. South Africa also failed to provide PAP’s president with a residence, yet this is part of the host country agreement. Other sticking issues that stopped the signing of the renewal include the failure by South Africa to provide internet and communication and the fact that translation facilities bought 11 years ago, had not been replaced, despite the need to.

Members are also unhappy with the President of PAP Roger Nkodo Dang, who they feel has failed to push the South African government to provide privileges they deserve.

“Are you, Mr President, waiting until one of our Members loses their life in order for measures to protect us to be implemented? We would like to review the Headquarters Agreement and negotiate for another venue,” said Aichata.

Idris Yousif from Sudan said there is no political will to provide members of PAP with the privileges they deserve and for this reason the institution should be relocated.

Mr Yousif pointed to the fact that the South African government had continually ignored the cries for help from PAP members. He cited the last robbery incidents where the government said it would take measures to end the robberies, which has not been effected.

“We need to accept that we are living in a situation of insecurity and we cannot continue our work in those conditions,” he said.

Robbery

The fact that the South African government had not even given an official apology had members say the lack of political will to host and also take care of their needs was the problem.

But PAP President Mr Dang told Members that their security had been stepped up. He however, did not give details.

He instead urged Members to take their security seriously. According to him security is an individual matter first before becoming a collective one, and for this reasons, members of PAP could do a lot in securing themselves and their property, instead of looking up to the South African government.

South Africa has high crime rates, with police statistics showing that in 2014/15 the country recorded 17,805 cases of murder. That translates into 33 murders per 100,000 people, which is way above the global average of 6.2 per 100,000.

The country also records high robbery rates. Police statistics show that 129,045 cases of aggravated robbery were recorded in 2014/15 compared to the 118,963 of the previous year.