The Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure
(1) The Department appointed an Implementing Agent (COEGA), whose team consists mainly of Structural Engineers, to determine the structural integrity of the buildings damaged by the fire and safety. This team will commence with investigations, for the first phase.
The second phase, which will commence once the investigation has been concluded, entails conducting a full assessment on the extent of the damage and scoping for the restoration project. A full team of consultants will be executing this assessment through the same Implementing Agents.
(2) No. The structural integrity of the buildings first has to be determined before further investigations can proceed and safety is part of that.
(3) Yes. The Department will be employing the services of a fire expert.
(4) Yes, a policy document will be developed to attend to all buildings on the Parliamentary Precinct with specific reference to fire protection. The current legislation will be looked at to ensure compliance with the latest SANS requirements. The policy will focus on protecting the building as well as the occupants within the building.