All information relating to the parliament upgrade and expansion.

New building, face of democracy

By Helen Bamford

A new, three-storey domed building as part of a multi-million rand parliamentary makeover will be "distinctly African, proudly South African and like nothing anywhere else in the world".

It will also be a major drawcard for international tourists and allow South Africans an opportunity to get more involved in the parliamentary process.

This is the view of parliamentary spokesman Luzuko Jacobs, who said that R350 million had been made available for the "Legacy Project".

The substantial investment also means that parliament is unlikely ever to be moved from Cape Town.

Cape Town Partnership chief executive Andrew Boraine said the development was very encouraging and they would be working closely with parliament on how it could become even better integrated into the surrounding areas.

The new building, to be erected across the road from parliament on the corner of Plein and Roeland streets, could be linked by existing underground passages and possibly a series of flyovers over Plein Street. But so far nothing had been cast in stone, Jacobs said, adding the project was still at the conceptual stage.

"We are still negotiating with a range of stakeholders and partners. The council and the province own some of the land, and Public Works has a stake."

He said it was hoped work would start this year on what could become a new Cape Town landmark, and finish late next year or early 2009.

Jacobs said the existing parliament complex was very densely built with no sense of openness.

"We want the new building to capture the spirit of freedom and democracy and break the sense of claustrophobia."

He said they agonised daily about not being able to accommodate the public, not only for major events like the State of the Nation address but also for lively debates in the house.

Jacobs said they wanted to ensure international tourists could visit and experience the "miracle of democracy" that took place in South Africa.

Security would have to be balanced with a people's parliament. "The vision is optimum security in keeping with the gravitas of parliament but at the same time a public open space to be enjoyed by all."

The idea was also to enhance public participation in parliamentary processes.

"It is sad for committees to hold meetings in rooms that can only accommodate its members and the media. We need properly constructed venues."

The main gallery is expected to be built on the first floor with public galleries above while there will also be a banqueting hall and parking.

Jacobs said they were doing a feasibility study for building new offices on top of the existing national assembly but this would be governed by engineers and heritage experts.

More offices would alleviate the current dire shortage of space for MPs.

Mariette du Toit-Helmbold, general manager of Cape Town Tourism, one of the project's stakeholders, said they would promote parliamentary tours for tourists.

She said that they would also look at ways of making parliament more accessible.

i still dont get why we have pretoria and ct. surely they need to choose one

It's a historical thing. The executive has always sat in Pretoria, and the legislature always in Cape Town - it was probably seen as a symbolic compromise in 1910 when the Union of SA was established, and the two republics united.

And i think it has been kept that way also due to symbolism, emphasising the need to seperate the legislature and the executive, which wasn't truly seperated during Apartheid.

And technically, we actually have four capitals, not two, if one takes into account the three powers that are responsible for the way of country functions..

Cape Town - legislature
Pretoria - executive
Johannesburg - judicial (Constitutional Court)
Bloemfontein - judicial (Supreme Court of Appeal)

Anyway, good to hear that Cape Town is polishing up Parliament! It'll become an even greater asset for the city.

^^ it all just sounds like a bastardised waste of money. all the people needing double homes and offices.

^^ it all just sounds like a bastardised waste of money. all the people needing double homes and offices.
lol

remember the ANC tried to talk about relocating the parliament to Pretoria to cut down on all the costs incurred by flying parliamentarians around the country all the time. And Cape Town put up a major fight and the whole thing appeared to have been shelved. Personally i think its kewl to keep the parliament in CT.

Well, if there's any CBD in which a makeover would be worthwhile, it would be the Cape Town CBD, miles ahead of any other CBD and still improving.

As for the parliamentary village, I've seen it, its shoddy, nothing glamorous.
The large majority of funding centres around the new building, and opening up spaces within the CBD, making parliament more open and welcoming to the public, nothing new for the CBD, and probably set to be yet another CT success story.

it all just sounds like a bastardised waste of money. all the people needing double homes and offices.


Yup.. indeedy. I would advocate the legislature moving up to Pretoria. And there is talk about creating a single supreme court, and this should be created where the Constitutional Court is right now, ie Joburg.

^^ you would think that.... :)

Well not necessarily.. I have no bias towards my province. ;)

Just think that it would be more practical if one has to move everything, because 2 of the 4 institutions sit in Gauteng anyway.

remember the ANC tried to talk about relocating the parliament to Pretoria to cut down on all the costs incurred by flying parliamentarians around the country all the time. And Cape Town put up a major fight and the whole thing appeared to have been shelved. Personally i think its kewl to keep the parliament in CT.

If I may have my say... I used to work for South Africa's second biggest domestic airline. It is rather alarming to see how much money gets spent on parliament-people to fly up and down. It really really is a waste. They should all move to Cape Town rather.

If I may have my say... I used to work for South Africa's second biggest domestic airline. It is rather alarming to see how much money gets spent on parliament-people to fly up and down. It really really is a waste. They should all move to Cape Town rather.


Doesnt make sense to move down to CT. Everything is up here in pretoria. All the government departments, all the embassies. A shift from cape town to pretoria will cost billions. A shift from pretoria to ct will be unaffordable. It has been the way it is now for decades. It has to do with keeping every sphere of government distinct and seperate (albeit in a very weird way). But a move of parliament was mooted in the 80's and 90's. Cape Town obviously opposed, but it was also deemed to costly. And a move from Pretoria anywhere else would just be insane, and not even considered for a minute. Unless we can get the Hyatt to turn the Union Buildings into a hotel!!!

But you must realise that Government departments, embassies, consulates and even NGO's are based in pretoria - the move is unthinkable, and CT does not have enough space. Did you know that Pretoria has the largest number of foreign embassies in the world after Washington?

Nope, didnt know that. :ohno:

Tender to demolish the existing buildings came out last week so there could be some action here soon...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5444783958_d8dc477404_b.jpg

Tender to demolish the existing buildings came out last week so there could be some action here soon...

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5213/5444783958_d8dc477404_b.jpg

www.futurecapetown.tumblr.com

I'm a little confused...is this tender related to this?

http://www.dhk.co.za/dhk02/p7ssm_img_31_Parliament/fullsize/PP01_fs.jpg

I'm a little confused...is this tender related to this?

http://www.dhk.co.za/dhk02/p7ssm_img_31_Parliament/fullsize/PP01_fs.jpg

They are unrelated but Eurocape, the developers of the Parliamentary Precinct, are hoping there will be synergy between the two...

Thanks!

So is this the three-storey domed building mentioned earlier in the thread then?

Thanks!

So is this the three-storey domed building mentioned earlier in the thread then?

Correct!

Shot :) So much is planned for the area it gets a little confusing :D

This is all exciting stuff :)

So we can assume Parliament will not be moving...at least for a while :)

^^Damn that would be delibirate provocation of the Kaapies. I hope the geographical separation of powers remains...

error

A new, three-storey domed building as part of a multi-million rand parliamentary makeover will be "distinctly African, proudly South African and like nothing anywhere else in the world".


Well...this is the first time I've seen it. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it. It's like something out of Star Wars, never mind Africa:

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5188/5680788472_1490aebaa0.jpg


http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5188/5680225519_05a71f33eb.jpg


http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5022/5680787146_9deeb200ce.jpg

^^ It's the parliament building of the Naboo Supreme Council! :lol:

Hahahaha. As a recent Star Wars fan...build it! Can just picture the building opening up and Naboo starfighters taking off!

I would like to hear how they motivated thier statement that it's a distinctly African design?

It's pushing the envelope, so I quite like it! A lot.:)

Quite horrible, if you ask me. Looks like the eye a giant fly staring at table Mountain.

Is there really no more creative way of being "distinctly African" than a blown-up hut?

THAT is supposed to be a hut? :lol:

Pimpin' hut.

I have mixed feelings about this, but with reference to the renders and article; it could be rather interesting. Possibly on par if not above projects such as the Stadium, CTICC expansion and Portside.
New building, face of democracy

By Helen Bamford

A new, three-storey domed building as part of a multi-million rand parliamentary makeover will be "distinctly African, proudly South African and like nothing anywhere else in the world".

It will also be a major drawcard for international tourists and allow South Africans an opportunity to get more involved in the parliamentary process.

This is the view of parliamentary spokesman Luzuko Jacobs, who said that R350 million had been made available for the "Legacy Project".

The substantial investment also means that parliament is unlikely ever to be moved from Cape Town.

Cape Town Partnership chief executive Andrew Boraine said the development was very encouraging and they would be working closely with parliament on how it could become even better integrated into the surrounding areas.

The new building, to be erected across the road from parliament on the corner of Plein and Roeland streets, could be linked by existing underground passages and possibly a series of flyovers over Plein Street. But so far nothing had been cast in stone, Jacobs said, adding the project was still at the conceptual stage.

Quite horrible, if you ask me. Looks like the eye a giant fly staring at table Mountain.


Maybe it is a giant eye. The giant sinister eye of parliament staring at all of us once the Secrecy Bill comes into effect. :nuts:

^^ Haha, it's all a conspiracy!

It is meant to be reminiscent of a grass hut. There was a render of this on the front page of Die Burger some time last year.

As far as i know, most of the buildings referred to in the tender, in that block, have already been demolished, with temporary parking structures in place. Only the building on the Plein/Commercial corner remains. Can't remember who owns it - may be Public Works ??

I can see the san style grass hut - I went to kleinplassie in worcester after all! - so I can see the context. Is this supposed to be a debating chamber/ imbizo hut or something? - coz if it doesnt have a purpose as such beyond looking odd/new age/ supposedly architectural, then Im in favour of height instead - and the occomodation for those bastart MP's on the site, so that we can free up Acacia Park and give it over to people who need those houses, and kick out all said bastard MP's extended family / leeches! :D

I've heard in the last couple of weeks from a few people that there are plans afoot to relocate the Botha statue from the Roeland St. gate of parliament to Church Square, to stand alongside the statue of JH Hofmeyr. Presumably this would be to make way for a statue of a more inclusive figure. Google provides no corroboration, however. Anyone know if there's any truth to the rumour?

Edit: actually there's this in the New Age from last month: http://www.thenewage.co.za/mobi/Detail.aspx?NewsID=58938&CatID=1007

No mention of Church Square however. I imagine the little place might be a little crowded with both statues and the slave monument.

^^ I support the decision.
It would be great for many reasons to have a statue of Mandela at the gates of Parliament.

Agreed, and very glad to see the DA supported the proposal.