Accusations are flying amid an investigation into the fire that devastated South Africa’s parliament at the start of the new year – it has also sparked debate about the very future of the chamber’s look and location.
The building’s neoclassical columns and Cape Dutch additions serve as a reminder of the country’s colonial past and some say there is now the chance to create something that better reflects South Africa’s diversity.
For others, its location in Cape Town, 1,300km (800 miles) from the administrative capital and seat of government, Pretoria, is an anomaly.
At the moment, the National Assembly, where MPs sit for debates, is unusable and the state opening of parliament – when the government sets out it agenda for the next year – will take place at Cape Town’s city hall next week.
The remnants of the burnt roof are visible from the street – most of it has
gone.
Police tape now cordons off the building and its surroundings as a crime scene. Policemen are on patrol nearby to “keep an eye on things”, one officer said.
A man is being held over the fire and has been charged with a string of crimes including terrorism.
The state says that 49-year-old Zandile Mafe set off bombs inside the seat of government in the early hours of 2 January.
He denies the accusations and his lawyers say he is being used as a scapegoat by a disgraced police force, desperate to redeem themselves after the incident.
The breach in security has led to many uncomfortable questions for the authorities, not least about the apparent security failures.
Source:bbc.com
