By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Deputy President Paul Mashatile has begun his maiden question and answer session in Parliament, after an almost hour-long delay due to a suspected fire.
The smoke was detected on the first floor of the Goodhope Building which houses the National Assembly chamber.
It is believed that a spark came out from one of the lights which burst in one of the offices.
This happened before Mashatile could participate in the scheduled questions and answer session.
“It was established that a light capacitor caused the spark, whose smoke triggered the fire alarm within the building. The sitting had to be delayed as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of the Members of Parliament and staff.
“The spark did not cause any fire and there was no immediate danger to the occupants of the building, the house resumed once the fire alarms were deactivated.”
Cape Town Fire department spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says no water was used to put out the spark.
“It was nothing major, but the light which exploded nothing else was damaged. We didn’t even have to use water when we got there, but just to ensure that the area was safe and no one was injured, no major damage but only to the light affected.”
In January last year, Parliament’s main chamber was gutted by a fire, which has meant that only around half of MPs can now be accommodated for sessions such as this, in the parliamentary precinct’s Good Hope Building.