<\/p>\n
Deputy President Paul Mashatile\u2019s appearance in the House was delayed by almost one hour after what was initially believed to be a fire.<\/p>\n
But Parliament said it was a spark and smoke in the Good Hope Chamber, where Mashatile was due to answer questions.<\/p>\n
This had then triggered the fire alarm to go off in the chamber.<\/p>\n
The incident comes a year after the national legislature was engulfed in a fire that gutted the National Assembly and Old Assembly chambers.<\/p>\n
Work has already started to rebuild Parliament and it is estimated the restoration project will be completed by 2025.<\/p>\n
Parliament said the start of the oral reply session by Mashatile was delayed due to the problem of the spark and smoke.<\/p>\n
\nParliamentary officials wanted everything cleared before the session could start.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt 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 members of Parliament and staff.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe spark did not cause any fire and there was no immediate danger to the occupants of the building,\u201d said Parliament.<\/p>\n
Mashatile was facing questions related to Eskom, service delivery in the government and municipalities and other challenges faced by the state.<\/p>\n
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za<\/p>\n
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