Parliament fire: DA calls for independent investigation
Date: 02 January 2022
Please find attached a soundbite by the Chief Whip of the Official Opposition, Natasha Mazzone MP.
The DA applauds the speed and efficiency with which the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town reacted to the devastating fire that ravaged large parts of Parliament today.
We thank President Ramaphosa for acknowledging that the City of Cape Town has an incredible fire response team, and agree completely with his assessment. Had it not been for these firefighting heroes, who responded within six minutes of getting the call, we could have seen nothing but a pile of ash where the buildings of hope and freedom once stood.
It cannot be denied that the upkeep of Parliament, security and general maintenance has been headed on a downward trajectory for the last ten years. The buildings have become neglected, dirty, dangerous and certainly not befitting of the home of South Africa’s democracy. Today’s disastrous fire has been a catastrophe just waiting to happen.