Presiding Officers call for calm confirm that SONA will proceed
The Presiding Officers of Parliament urged the authorities to leave no stone unturned in establishing the cause of the fire. They also assured the South African public that they would be kept up to date on all developments relating to the fire. They also assured citizens that every effort will be made to limit the impact of the fire on Parliament’s business. The Presiding Officers welcomed the swift arrest of a man in connection with the incident They pointed out that the fire occurred at a critical time, when Parliament’s preparations to host the 2022 State of the Nation Address and Budget speech are at an advanced stage. They confirmed that these flagship events will not be affected by the fire. The firefighters fought the blaze throughout the day on 2 January, bringing it under complete control in the NCOP offices first. They continued to battle the flames in the NA wing, but significant damage was caused to this part of the precinct and some offices were gutted. The Presiding Officers invited all Parliament’s stakeholders, including Minister De Lille, to take stock of the incident and assess the damage. Parliament’s Presiding Officers also thanked President Cyril Ramaphosa and his ministers, Mr Mondli Gungubele, Ms De Lille, Deputy Minister Mr Zizi Kodwa, Members of Parliament and parliamentary officials who visited the scene to assess the damage and to offer support to emergency services personnel.