Parliament, Saturday, 9 March 2024 – The Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament has welcomed the briefing it received on the latest developments with the restoration of Parliament project, delivered yesterday by the Secretary to Parliament (STP) and the restoration of Parliament team.
The committee also welcomed and adopted the recommendations presented by the project team, which included an increase of over R900 million in the budget for the modernisation of ICT infrastructure. This increase will bring the total estimated cost of the project to approximately R3 billion (the budget was previously set at R2 billion) and an extended timeline.
The co-chairpersons of the committee, Ms Peace Mabe and Ms Dikeledi Mahlangu, expressed the committees’ appreciation of the progress made and the plan presented, which detailed the steps that lie ahead. The committee also welcomed the project team’s commitment to retaining various heritage elements in the latest designs, including the national tree, the yellowwood.
The committee heard that all the flags that were inside Parliament did not burn. It recommended that those flags should be preserved as they symbolise the spirit of resilience.
During the engagement, committee members sought explanations for the changes to the project timeline and budget since the original presentation with its budget of R2 billion. Their questions related to the expenditure on the 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA), which was far more than the budgets for the 2022 and 2023 SONAs.
On the issue of the timeline, the project team highlighted, among other things, the emergence of unavoidable new building details as the project progresses, consultation with stakeholders – including the South African Heritage Resources Agency – and the withdrawal of the service provider appointed to deliver phase 1 of the rubble removal, which resulted in the tender process having to be restarted. All these factors have caused delays.
The committee heard that demolition of the National Assembly and Old Assembly will start at the end of April and end on 8 July 2024. Construction will begin in August 2024 and end in February 2026. The committee also heard that part of the rebuilding project includes renovating the Marks Building and modernising the ICT infrastructure. The committee further heard about the installation of a solar plant in Parliament and that a request has been made for Parliament to be exempt from loadshedding.
As for clarity on SONA expenditure, the STP told the committee that expenditure on SONA includes a week ahead of the event, the debate that takes place a week after the event and the delivery of the Budget Speech, which takes place a week after the debate. He said Parliament is still within the 30-days period, which includes the analysis of invoices. Therefore, the committee will receive a proper response on SONA expenditure at a later date.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CO-CHAIRPERSONS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON THE FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF PARLIAMENT, MS PEACE MABE AND MS DIKELEDI MAHLANGU.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Mava Lukani
Parliamentary Communication Services
Cell: 081 503 1840
E-mail: mlukani@parliament.gov.za
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