Malema Urges South Africa to Enlist China's Help in Rebuilding Parliament Post-Blaze

EFF leader, Julius Malema, has made a bold proposition to leverage South Africa's diplomatic ties with China to expedite the rebuilding of the Parliament, which suffered extensive damage due to a fire in January 2022. Addressing a crowd at an EFF celebration in Kimberley, Northern Cape, Malema highlighted the government's inertia, criticizing the slow pace of recovery despite promises of advanced infrastructure from President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Nearly two years after the blaze left scars on South Africa's legislative heart, the estimated R3 billion restoration project remains stagnant, with even the basic clearance of debris dragging on. According to Malema's prognosis, given the current government's sluggishness, the reconstruction could stretch over a decade.

Malema, with a strategic mindset, suggested that South Africa should approach China, a nation that showcased its rapid construction capabilities during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic by erecting advanced medical facilities at an unprecedented pace. He emphasized the added benefit of skill transfer, urging that Chinese collaboration should ensure that South African workers are left with the knowledge and capacity to undertake future construction tasks independently.

Amplifying Malema's concerns, EFF MP Omphile Maotwe vocalized dissatisfaction with the lack of a proximate solution, emphasizing the absence of plans for a temporary parliamentary structure. She pushed for the legislature's relocation to Pretoria, making a case for closer proximity between the legislative and executive branches and improved national accessibility.

In response to the urgent need for a functional parliamentary venue, National Assembly speaker Thoko Didiza has floated the idea of conducting proceedings within a large tent, reminiscent of the one used for Nelson Mandela's memorial in Qunu back in 2013. With active discussions between the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, Didiza remains hopeful for the makeshift arrangement to facilitate uninterrupted legislative operations.

The ongoing debate and appeals for external aid shine a spotlight on the governmental challenges and priorities as South Africa aims to restore its political edifice while navigating practical and symbolic considerations.