LOOK: This is what our R3-billion parliament will look like
The new building project is set to contain saunas, a daycare and much more.
This is how your New Parliament will look when the rebuilding process is finalised #RebuildingParliament #30YearsofDemocraticParliament#30YearsofDemocracy pic.twitter.com/WzL5DTCmBz
— Parliament of RSA (@ParliamentofRSA) May 15, 2024
In January 2022, the Old Assembly and National Assembly buildings in Cape Town were ravaged by fire.
Since then, work on removing the demolished buildings and building the new ones has been ongoing.
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The Secretary to Parliament recently held a press briefing where he shared some more insight into the project.
The National Assembly will be demolished and replaced, with the initial costs set at R2-billion, but this has now increased significantly.
Maziya General Services will be undertaking this massive project and the new design consists of a structure that is inspired by nature, more specifically, SA's national flower, the protea.
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The building will also undergo the replacement of ICT infrastructure and overall modernisation, which further pushes the cost with an extra R943-million, bringing it closer to R3-billion.
The start and handover dates have also been revised. Demolition of the old parliament building was expected to begin in April 2024 and is now only starting in July 2024. The completion of the building is also set for April 2026, instead of December 2025.
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Parliament have set up a new website where you can follow the progress and also see the full design:
Mr Xolile George mentioned that the new amenities are to ensure the well-being of members of parliament.
Until the new building is unveiled, the MPs will continue meeting in the Cape Town Town Hall, which costs them anywhere from R16,000 to R132,000 a day (depending on how many members attend).
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