During an oversight visit to the reconstruction of the National Assembly Building, Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean Macpherson, instructed the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to supply his office with bi-weekly reports on the progress of the project, as well as a monthly cost schedule, which will be made available to the Portfolio Committee on Public Works and Infrastructure in the interest of transparency. This has been requested to ensure that the contractors to this important project are held to time periods and budget.

“As someone who called the National Assembly his office for more than 10 years, it is simply heartbreaking to see what has happened to this keystone of our democracy. We know now that the devastation was partly caused as a result of poor maintenance over many years, and we need to ensure that such a disaster does not take place ever again,” Minister Dean Macpherson said.

“This is why I want to be actively involved in the reconstruction of the National Assembly building to ensure that the project is completed on time and on budget. The reconstruction of the National Assembly buildings should be moving much faster to avoid any further delay, and therefore additional oversight should be welcomed. We simply cannot wait any longer.”

Following his oversight visit to the clearing and the reconstruction of the National Assembly, Minister Macpherson met with National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza to discuss the progress on the National Assembly’s reconstruction and efforts to expedite its construction. The minister emphasized that the increased oversight would help avoid the abuse of scarce public resources, and encouraged members of the public to report any corruption allegations should they arise - with evidence - to his office to escalate and investigate.

“We have to work together to rebuild the National Assembly building in such a manner that it is protected from future disasters such as fires and theft, while at the same time making it more accessible to the public to learn about this important institution. The reconstruction of the National Assembly needs to honour our past while it looks to the future to stand as a testament to the strength of democracy.”

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