Cape Town – SPEAKER Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula has warned that hiring venues outside Parliament for future events and sittings would come at a price.
Mapisa-Nqakula said from the initial assessment it showed that venues which were outside the Parliamentary precinct would come at a huge cost.
This came after MPs in the programming committee wanted updates on securing venues outside Parliament and where they would physically meet.
The city hall was used for the State of the Nation Address (Sona) last Thursday until the reply to the debate by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday.
Acting Secretary to Parliament Baby Tyawa told the committee that they have started talking to outside parties on the use of alternative venues.
They will be meeting with the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).
Mapisa-Nqakula said the officials of Parliament would have to provide a detailed report on the cost implications in the next two weeks after they had met with some of the stakeholders.
However, she said while political parties are keen that physical meetings be held, this would come at a cost.
She said the various options being looked at will provide a direction where Parliament would likely hold its future sittings.
MPs said it would take a while for Parliament to be rebuilt and alternative venues for sittings would have to be found.
Mapisa-Nqakula said when they looked at the venues before the Sona the financial implications were huge.
“I do want us to find time to discuss this matter thoroughly because even right at the beginning before we could take a decision on the venue for the Sona, the various options which were presented to the presiding officers were such that they had very serious financial implications. It doesn’t matter whether you are talking about CTICC, it doesn’t matter whether you are talking about the continuation of the city hall or even the Chamber, which was offered here by the City. All of those things are likely to, even though I know some of the venues were not as appropriate because of the space, but I do want honourable members to think through these issues that if at any given time we take a decision to move to the CTICC we will have to, firstly, pay for the rates on a monthly basis because currently it is just a white elephant, which is not being booked,” said Mapisa-Nqakula.
She said they would have to pay for services and other needs at the venue.
This would include paying for security, cleaning and catering, she said.
“We don’t have the figures but the estimates were going to be way beyond what we would have paid at the city hall. I am saying, honourable members, without demotivating the issue, it’s going to be important that at some point we are going to be physically here. But we have to discuss where and at what point,” she said.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
POLITICAL BUREAU
