Minister approves portable Parliament

Plans are at an advanced stage to house Parliament in a dome structure for two years until the reconstruction of the burnt Parliament building is complete. News24 reports that Public Works & Infrastructure Minister Dean Macpherson has approved the use and installation of the dome in the Parliament precinct. It will be used for House sittings of the National Assembly, National Council of Provinces, plenary, and committee rooms. Since the 2022 fire that gutted the National Assembly and the parliamentary precinct, Parliament has battled to find space to accommodate its committee meetings and has been using the Cape Town City Hall to host the President's annual State of the Nation Address. The deadline for finishing the reconstruction of the burnt site had been moved from November 2025 to February 2026. The dome structure is expected to be on site for a period of over 24 months and would therefore require approvals from the city council. The proposed site location is the Nieuwemeester parking lot, which is used as an overflow parking for parliamentary staff, government departments, and the police.