Cape Town - Cape Town has roped in the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA) to head its R2-billion mega project of reconstructing and redesigning parts of the Parliament building.
More than a year after the parliamentary precinct was damaged by a fire, Parliament secretary Xolile George announced in a media briefing how it would be rebuilt.
The announcement comes five months after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced, in his mini-budget, that R2bn would be set aside for the reconstruction project.
George said the DBSA’s Infrastructure Delivery Division would collaborate with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and Treasury on the project, which would take up to 24 months.
He said the areas of support in the partnership with DBSA would comprise the development of capacity, technical support and implementation of infrastructure projects.
“The DBSA is the most suitable entity to play this role, given its expertise and experience of providing infrastructure management services, which include design, construction and total facilities management, to several other organs of State,” George said.
George said the project would, among other things, include: refurbishing the damaged Parliament buildings, the Old Assembly building; and link that building and the National Assembly; the removal of debris by engineers to make way for detailed assessments; the overhauling of 155 offices for MPs; refurbishment of the fourth and fifth floors, and redesigning the first, 2nd and third floors of the 90 Plein Street building by March 31 this year.
“This will yield 155 offices for MPs and offices for 1 000 displaced staff members, while providing temporary relief in office space during the restoration phase,” he said.
The parliamentary precinct was destroyed by a fire allegedly set by Zandile Mafe who is on trial for, among other charges, arson and treason. He has appeared in the Western Cape High Court for a pre-trial hearing.