DA DEMANDS PARLIAMENTARY PROBE INTO R4.6 BILLION PARLIAMENT REBUILD PROJECT

PARLIAMENT, CAPE TOWN – The Democratic Alliance (DA) has formally written to the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament (JSCFMP) demanding an urgent, comprehensive investigation into the Parliamentary Rebuild Project following allegations of legal irregularities and massive budget escalation.

The party highlights that the estimated cost of rebuilding the parliamentary precinct following the January 2022 fire has inflated from an initial budget of R2.1 billion to over R4.6 billion.

Allegations of Unlawful Project Transfer

At the center of the probe request are allegations involving the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George, and the formal transfer of the rebuild project from the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI):

Bypassing Statutory Protocols: The DA asserts that the transfer of custodianship from DPWI (then headed by former Minister Patricia de Lille) to Parliament failed to meet statutory requirements under the Government Immovable Asset Management Act 19 of 2007 (GIAMA).
Absence of Written Transfer & Gazetting: According to the party, the former Minister never authorized the transfer in writing, nor was the shift in custodianship officially gazetted as required by law.
Misleading the Auditor-General: The DA alleges that Mr. George misled the Auditor-General during probing inquiries by representing the transfer as legally sound.

Focus on Parliamentary Governance & Oversight

The DA noted that these disclosures build on existing controversies surrounding Mr. George’s tenure, including legal challenges regarding his appointment, remuneration structure, and overall financial administration.

The party has given the Co-Chairpersons of the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament 7 days to respond to the request for a formal parliamentary investigation.

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Tuesday, 4 August 2026