Burning questions over burning parliament

South Africa’s government institutions are so shot through with incompetence that it’s possible the fire which devastated the buildings of parliament is yet another example of this.

At the same time, though, we went through what President Cyril Ramaphosa himself called an “attempted insurrection” in July last year… so the possibility that this was politically related arson is something which cannot be ruled out.

Ramaphosa himself fuelled those speculative flames when he said yesterday that someone had been arrested in connection with the fire.

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It sounds bizarre to say so, but we hope the former explanation is the one which proves to be correct. Because if the antigovernment forces within the ANC (and, let’s face it, they were probably behind the July riots and looting) are prepared to go as far as attacking the very seat of our democracy, then we are in deep trouble.

There are many unanswered questions: why did the first spread so quickly; was there a lapse in security; was the fire suppression system faulty or unserviced?

Ironically, even Ramaphosa had to admit that had the fire occurred anywhere else other than in the DA-run Cape Town Metro, the outcome may have been disastrous.

All the elements of a new year thriller, SA-style.

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