On Monday a year ago a fire broke out in the parliamentary precinct and continued burning for at least three days.
The fire affected the Old Assembly and the National Assembly buildings, causing extensive damage to key offices, chambers and meeting rooms.
This resulted in the 2022 State of the Nation Address (Sona) being moved to Cape Town City Hall, a first in the history of South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
Police detectives managed to link Zandile Mafe to the fire and arrested him that same day. He is due back in the dock at the Western Cape High Court on 27 January.
The State was ready to proceed with the trial, but Mafe’s lawyers told the court that they were not ready, as more time was needed to consult with the accused.
The 2023 Sona will most likely return to the City Hall this year.
In August the parliamentary secretary, Xolile George, said that it would cost over R2 billion and take at least three years to restore Parliament to the way it was before the fire. All technical assessments had been completed.
While tabling his Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement in October 2022, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana announced that Treasury would make available the R2 billion required to rebuild Parliament.
He said that the national legislature would also receive another R118 million to deal with interim relocation costs and to prepare for its refurbishment.