Johannesburg - More than five years after the first sod-turning ceremony was held to indicate the proposed construction of a R700 million Pan African Parliament (PAP) building project in Midrand, it seems this protracted development is far from getting off the ground.
The idea will remain just a pipe dream for as long as environmental groups still have concerns about the impact of the development.
Public Works Department spokes- man Thami Mchunu said the construction of the bulk civil engineering works started in 2009, but had to be stopped after the Department of Environment Affairs (DEA) issued a prohibition notice and withdrawal of Record of Decision of Environmental Impact Assessment.
“All construction activities have since stopped. The DEA’s decision came after a group of concerned persons lodged a complaint, alleging the destruction of the wetland. Currently, a number of processes are being followed, including plans to afford stakeholders and the local community sufficient opportunity to provide comment on the unlawful activities pronounced by the DEA,” said Mchunu.
Asked if this would not result in escalating costs due to price increases in building materials, he responded that the actual cost of the construction would be determined when the scope was updated, and when the environmental issues of the current site had been resolved.
Mchunu said construction of the parliament complex will only resume when the environmental issues of the current site have been completely resolved
He confirmed that it currently costs R2,6 million a month to accommodate the Parliament at Gallagher Estate.
Development was suspended in August 2009, when a group known as the Environment and Conservation Association (ECA) argued that the site chosen was on a wetland.
The ECA suggested the property development be moved away from that site altogether and demanded that the property be restored to its original state.
The proposed parliamentary complex is going to be centred around the parliamentary chamber, where heads of state will meet, with the rest of the building forming a striking background.
The building will contain administration facilities, presidential and VIP areas, a museum, restaurants and an art gallery.
South Africa offered to construct a state-of-the-art, fully equipped structure to house the PAP.
The architectural design will, reportedly, reflect the rich talent and diversity of all the people of the continent.
The Sunday Independent