R4.6 BILLION PARLIAMENT REBUILD UNDER SCRUTINY AS MPs DEMAND FULL COST AND LEGALITY EXPLANATION
CAPE TOWN — Parliament’s R4.6 billion reconstruction programme is facing renewed scrutiny after MPs challenged the cost of rebuilding the fire-damaged parliamentary precinct and questioned the legal process through which Parliament assumed responsibility for managing the project.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa, which is implementing the reconstruction, told Parliament on Friday that the project had not experienced cost overruns.
DBSA said confusion around the price tag may have arisen because National Treasury initially made approximately R2 billion available before detailed designs and the full scope of reconstruction had been established.
The final approved programme budget is R4.6 billion.
Where the money is going
According to DBSA, the reconstruction of the National Assembly building is expected to cost approximately R2.2 billion, while restoration of the Old Assembly is budgeted at around R1.8 billion.
Additional expenditure covers demolition, offices for Members of Parliament, information technology and other components of the reconstructed precinct.
A parliamentary reply records that total expenditure on the broader rebuilding programme stood at approximately R2.04 billion at the end of May 2026, against the R4.6 billion approved budget.
That figure includes early works, rubble removal, refurbishment at 90 Plein Street, demolition and work on the National and Old Assembly buildings.
MPs demand a detailed breakdown
Opposition MPs have called for greater transparency about how the R4.6 billion is being spent.
MK Party MP Des van Rooyen called for a detailed breakdown of tenders and subcontracting, while EFF MP Omphile Maotwe questioned whether the overall price could be justified for rebuilding the fire-damaged structures.
DBSA Group Executive for Infrastructure Chuene Ramphele rejected suggestions that the budget reflected uncontrolled escalation.
He told MPs the institution had submitted reports to the Finance Minister demonstrating that there had been no overspending.
Questions over who legally controlled the rebuild
The cost debate is accompanied by a separate governance question.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson previously raised concern about whether there was a clear documentary trail showing how responsibility for reconstruction moved from his department to Parliament.
Secretary to Parliament Xolile George rejected suggestions that the process lacked legal authority.
George said Parliament had extensive records of engagements with Public Works and National Treasury and noted that a project steering committee involving Parliament, DBSA, Public Works and Treasury had met repeatedly since work began.
National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza has said she intends convening former ministers to clarify the historical decisions around management of the project.
Auditor-General examining expenditure
Parliament says the reconstruction programme is being audited by the Auditor-General and that no expenditure concerns have been raised to date.
That does not end the transparency question.
For a project financed by taxpayers and costing R4.6 billion, Parliament faces pressure to demonstrate not only that spending is within budget but that procurement, contracting and project governance can withstand full public scrutiny.
The crucial documents are therefore the contracts themselves.
MDNtv will seek the complete contractor and subcontractor list, contract values, variation orders, professional fees and the documents establishing Parliament’s legal authority to manage the reconstruction.
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