Parliament’s R2 billion restoration to take two years
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The restoration of the buildings that were gutted by a fire in Parliament in January 2022 can be done within 24 months, Secretary to Parliament Xolile George said. Picture: Armand Hough/African News Agency (ANA)
Cape Town - The restoration of the buildings that were gutted by a fire in Parliament in January 2022 can be done within 24 months, Secretary to Parliament Xolile George said on Tuesday.
George said Parliament had finalised discussions and an agreement with a state-owned development finance institution to act as an implementation agent for restoring the damaged buildings.
“We are therefore pleased to announce today that Parliament and the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) Limited, through its Infrastructure Delivery Division, have agreed to collaborate in tandem with other stakeholders, such as the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and the Treasury, in respect of the implementation of the project.”
He said the DBSA was the most suitable entity, given its expertise and experience in providing infrastructure management services.
The New Assembly, Old Assembly, committee rooms and offices of MPs and staff were damaged during the fire, which lasted about three days.
During his medium-term budget policy statement last October, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana allocated R2 billion for the restoration of Parliament and a further R118 million to help the national legislature respond to unforeseen costs due to the fire.
George said the R2bn for the restoration came from the estimation done by engineers.
“Perhaps more details might come to the fore from the Minister of Finance. It is our task to make sure that everything is done within that budget.”
He said the restoration project provided a unique opportunity to ensure that spaces in the parliamentary precinct were designed in a manner that best suited the specific needs of a democratic Parliament and to modernise the institution’s digital infrastructure.
“It is therefore envisaged that, through this project, South Africa will have a new Chamber that fully serves the imperatives of our constitutional democracy, which includes sufficient capacity for joint sittings and a larger public gallery to accommodate members of the public.”
It was previously estimated that the restoration would take up to four years.
“In our discussion with DBSA, and taking into account their technical capability, they have given us assurance that this project can be executed within 24 months, and a further six months to look to deal with snags and challenges arising after occupation,” George said.
The plan is to have the offices ready for MPs by the end of March 2023.
He also revealed that the restoration work to be undertaken would entail remodelling the fourth and fifth floors in 100 Plein Building to find 155 offices to immediately accommodate MP.
“It is one of the pressing issues members raised with us several times, that the inconvenience of not having offices limits their ability to perform their work,” George said, adding that there would be temporary accommodation for 1000 displaced officials.
He added that there would be a focus on improving the security of Parliament and also ensuring that the national legislature was indeed a National Key Point.
The National Assembly holds hybrid sittings, with some MPs attending physically at the Good Hope Chamber and others virtually while the NCOP Chamber is functional.
Joint sittings are held in the Cape Town City Hall, and more committees are starting to hold physical meetings in the parliamentary precinct.
George said after Tuesday’s briefing, the restoration plans would be shared with the political parties.
His briefing came after the DA wrote to the presiding officers on February 8 demanding “necessary” steps to return to full physical sittings within 14 days.
DA chief whip Siviwe Gwarube said: “We will still be expecting the institution to respond to the DA’s legal challenge tomorrow on what the plans are for finding suitable alternative venues for Parliament to fully resume its functions.”
Cape Times