SA marks one year since Parliament fire
It has been exactly a year since a fire tore through Parliament in Cape Town.
The blaze engulfed five floors of the National Assembly building and an adjacent Old Assembly Wing.
It caused the roof to collapse and destroyed hundreds of offices.
Looking back at the incident, parliament's spokesperson Moloto Mathapo says they are encouraged by the helping hand offered by various sectors during what had been a distressing time.
"Equally worth remembering was the swiftness with which several government institutions, both at provincial and national levels, reacted to the incident with assistance and support.
"We remain indebted to the extraordinary and selfless efforts of the members of the Fire and Rescue Service Department for their prompt response to the fire, which arrested the fire from storming through other parts of the building and causing even greater damage.
"With this fire crisis, our collective resilience, not only as this crucial arm of the state but as a nation, was highly tested."
A man was arrested inside the building after the fire broke out.
Zandile Mafe is facing five charges including arson and terrorism.
