Ladies and gentlemen of the media.
It is my singular honour to address and update you today on our plans and progress for rebuilding these historical Parliament buildings that were razed by the fire that broke out in January 2022.
It is important to remind ourselves that the fire that gutted these buildings on that fateful morning of 2 January 2022 did not only destroy the brick and cement structures of the precinct but also much of the invaluable history that resided between these walls. The recently upgraded broadcast technology in the House and the artworks showcasing our indigenous knowledge systems and traditional arts were also destroyed.
Although the fire caused a devastating loss of significant fabric, recovery remains possible.
Today, we want to share with you some updates on the progress made on the rebuilding and restoration of the Parliament buildings and the important milestones that we have set ourselves in restoring this National Key Point.
The Precincts of Parliament
Before outlining these key milestones of the project let me take you on a brief journey and share with you some background on the historical significance of the Parliament precinct.
The Parliamentary precinct has about 10 buildings, namely, the National Council of Provinces Building, the National Assembly, the Old Assembly, the Good Hope Building, Marks Building, Africa House, Tuynhuys, 90 Plein Building, 100 Plein Building and 120 Plein Building.
Four of these buildings – Tuynhuys (including the Tuynhuys Garden), the National Assembly Building (which is commonly known as the New Wing), the Old Assembly Building and the National Council of Provinces Building were declared a National Heritage Site in April 2014 in accordance with the National Heritage Resources Act.
These buildings are of great significance to the fabric of the precinct as they bear historical, aesthetic, scientific, and social value, plus they have been identified as possessing qualities that are both rare and representative.
History of the damaged buildings
The building that currently houses the NCOP is the oldest section of the buildings of Parliament. This building was established in 1875 under the guidance of the original designer, Charles Freeman, an architect of the then Department of Public Works. The Old Assembly Building, one of the two buildings that were ravaged by the January 2022 fire, was added to the original 1885 building when a new Chamber was built for the Union Parliament with the unification of South Africa in 1910. The Chamber was used for this purpose until 1961 when South Africa became a Republic, then the Chamber was used as the House of Assembly of the Republic of South Africa until 1994.
The National Assembly Building, the building where the 2022 fire is assumed to have started before it engulfed the adjacent Old Assembly, was built in 1983 to accommodate the expanded needs of the Tricameral Parliament. It was added to the south side of the existing Old Assembly Building. The Tricameral Parliament was a three-tiered assembly that convened from 1984 to 1994 – comprising a House of Assembly for Whites, a House of Representatives for ‘Coloureds’ and a House of Delegates for Indians.
As an extension of the Old Assembly building, the new building followed the same neo-classical architectural style of the adjacent Old Assembly building. The leads on the project were the architects Jack van der Lecq and Hannes Meiring. The main feature of the New Wing building was the new chamber built for the joint meetings of the three Houses of the Tricameral Parliament. Before it was razed by the fire, the chamber was mainly used for the plenary sittings of the 400-member National Assembly and is also used for joint sittings of the two Houses, for example, the President’s State of the Nation Address and for addresses by the international Heads of State.
The fire damage in context
The fire that broke out in the precinct in January 2022 damaged two of these historical buildings, namely, the National Assembly Building and the adjacent Old Assembly Building. The fire caused extensive damage to the entire National Assembly Building, causing significant damage to the building’s perimeter spaces and its fabric. The Old Assembly, on the other hand, had its upper areas similarly damaged with consequent water and other damage occurring throughout the lower areas. Both buildings were declared unsafe and inaccessible because of the damage caused by the fire.
What happened immediately after the fire?
As we all know, following the fire incident law enforcement agencies took over the site for investigations and later handed back to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure. The Department took immediate steps to determine the structural stability of the building and to propose safety measures required to enable the spaces to be accessed for further assessment. Parliament took over the responsibility of managing the works on 6 March 2023. Due to inclement weather, the conditions naturally worsened, and this necessitated a detailed assessment to get up-to-date data on safe access routes. A second phase of this work was undertaken to determine the extent of the damage, potential rehabilitation and renovation measures, and likely costs associated with various scenarios.
As a result of this study and subsequent issuing of permits by the South African Heritage Agency (SAHRA), limited debris clearance and stabilisation work in safe areas were undertaken during 2023, along with the installation of temporary roofs to protect the buildings from the weather. The assets were verified, and a register was updated based on their net book values. The loose rubble and debris were removed, and assets were recovered for offsite storage. Some assets were not affected by the fire but had close to zero book value. The disposal of these assets is underway in line with Parliament’s Supply Chain Management Policy and Procedures. The fourth and fifth floors of the 90 Plein Street building were reconfigured to provide 155 offices for members who were displaced by the fire damage. The plan is to get more floors in the 90 Plein building to accommodate the remaining members.
With the appointment of two full professional teams (one team is responsible for the National Assembly and another for the Old Assembly) in mid-2023, thorough appraisals, assessments, needs analyses, and costings have been undertaken. The plan is to start with further clearance and removal of the fire-damaged sections of the buildings this month, May, to get the rehabilitation works to kick in by the end of August 2024. These sections of the buildings were gutted by fire and subsequently condemned by the engineers. They are structurally unsafe, and work must be undertaken under careful and controlled engineering approaches to prevent injuries and loss of life and to ensure that the sections that were not affected by the fire remain intact.
How is the rebuilding project going to be approached?
Various alternatives ranging from like-for-like reconstruction to adaptation and reuse, to demolition and rebuild have been considered for various components of the fire-damaged buildings. A wide range of factors, including cost, time, practical needs of Parliament as well as heritage significance informed the designs that followed.
As stressed before, although the fire caused a devastating loss, recovery remains possible. With the project, we envisage an outcome that reflects a reimagined and democratised Parliamentary complex that meets both functional and practical needs and reflects the democratic character of South Africa. In addition to accommodating the enlarged Assembly chamber and support spaces, the rebuilding process will ensure that the buildings meet current safety, environmental and space requirements as far as possible, and will incorporate modern technology and infrastructure. From a heritage and design point of view, the process allows a review of the incremental and sometimes ad-hoc growth of later portions of the Old Assembly complex. It also promotes the circulation layout, and readability of the complex overall.
The overall aim of this process is to create a fully functioning, modern and democratic parliamentary space that reflects the needs of contemporary South Africa while at the same time, respecting the heritage of the site and regaining its heritage significance.
Heritage Process
As a National Heritage Site, the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) is the Permitting authority for Parliament. A Section 27 Permit is required to undertake any work on the site. Two separate applications – one for each building component – are being made to SAHRA this month – May 2024.
As the precinct is situated in the Central City Heritage Protection Overlay Zone (HPOZ), an application to undertake work in this area is also concurrently being made to the City of Cape Town this month, the National Key Point Status of the site notwithstanding.
Official Site Handover
Today, it is both a great pleasure and a privilege to announce a significant milestone in our journey towards renewal. After extensive preparatory work on the site, we have officially reached the stage where we are handing over the site to our contractors to commence the rebuild project. Following this announcement, the Acting Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairperson of the National Council of Provinces will formally hand over the building to the contractors, allowing the work to begin in earnest. As previously stated, we expect the building project to be completed within two years.
As previously announced, the initial phase of the rebuild project will involve the demolition of structurally unsafe sections of the building, which have been designated as the "red zone" due to their instability and compromised safety. The removal of these areas requires specialized expertise and machinery, particularly given the historical and heritage significance of the building. This delicate process ensures that we preserve as much of the original architectural integrity as possible while making way for new, safe structures. This careful and precise approach underscores our commitment to maintaining the building's heritage while safeguarding its future.
Public Involvement
The involvement of the public in the rebuilding of our Parliament is not just important; it is essential. Parliament belongs to the people of South Africa, and as such, it must reflect their will, aspirations, and hopes, not only in terms of its constitutional mandate but also its heritage and practical usefulness. To ensure that the public has a meaningful say in this process from start to finish, we are inviting all South Africans to actively participate.
Today, we are also excited to unveil a special website dedicated to the Parliament rebuild project. This platform hosts the new architectural designs, detailed project outlines, overviews, and conceptual frameworks. We encourage members of the public to visit this website, peruse the provided materials, and submit their comments. This feedback will be invaluable as we strive to create a Parliament that truly embodies the spirit and diversity of our nation, serving not only as a legislative hub but as a monument to our collective future.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
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