ministers free electricity

Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille says more than 500 jobs to be created from infrastructure projects. Image via: flickr

Parliament fire: De Lille appoints independent team to assess damage

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille says she is pleased to see the teams get to work in probing the Parliament fire

ministers free electricity

Public Works Minister Patricia de Lille says more than 500 jobs to be created from infrastructure projects. Image via: flickr

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has appointed an independent specialist engineering team to conduct an investigation and provide a detailed report into the fire which gutted a Parliament building back in January.

An initial report by safety assessment investigators who were appointed just days after the blaze, found that the New Assembly building was not safe to enter and was closed off to restrict access.

“On the basis of the preliminary visual inspections, there was evidence of severe structural damage (major spalling) to the slabs. The slabs affected by the damage are the 2nd, 3rd and 4th floor. In addition, there were major cracks in the walls on the 2nd and 3rd floor,” de Lille’s spokesperson Zara Nicholson said in a statement.

PARLIAMENT FIRE: PATRICIA DE LILLE GETS BALL ROLLING ON PROBE

It was only afterwards that Patricia de Lille’s department activated steps to procure an independent specialist engineering team to conduct a further and detailed assessment as well as the testing of material strength.

National Treasury subsequently agreed to expedite the process to procure the independent specialist engineering team as expeditiously as possible. The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) then appointed the COEGA Development Cooperation to perform assessments of the fire damaged buildings at Parliament.

“Following the DPWI Engineering Services’ recommendation that specialised structural engineering assessment work be undertaken in order for the buildings to be made safe for access, a scope of works was generated from the DPWI’s Engineering Services team for this work”

The scope of work for the assessment by COEGA includes:

• Assessing the fire damaged buildings in the parliamentary precinct to pronounce on the extent of the damage

• Providing professional advice on the safety of the structures.

• Providing measures to temporarily make the structure safe to allow the investigations to proceed unhindered

“I am pleased that the appointment is now finalised as I am eager to see the teams get to work and provide detailed assessments of the damage, rehabilitation and restorative measures and restoration costs. I am grateful to the officials at National Treasury for their advice and support to DPWI to finalise the appointment of this team of assessors and have impressed on the department to ensure that the work is conducted thoroughly and as soon as possible”

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille