Completion date for Nieuwmeester Dome uncertain ahead of State of the Nation Address

A date for the completion of the Nieuwmeester Dome which is expected to be utilised for the State of the Nation Address (SONA) replies, has yet to be provided, citing technical delays, with the ceremonial parades continuing at the City Hall.

The project costs about R30 million and is a joint financial and operational undertaking between the Department of Public Works & Infrastructure and Parliament.

On Monday, the office of the Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Dean MacPherson, confirmed that the Dome was set to be completed in order to accommodate the SONA replies but could not confirm its completion date.

Just days ago, MacPherson announced that the handover of the refurbished Dome's structure was set to take place on January 30 to National Assembly Speaker Thoko Didiza for use during parliamentary sittings while the National Assembly building was being rebuilt following the fire in 2022.

The Department of Public Works & Infrastructure refurbished the Dome, previously used for the funeral of President Nelson Mandela, at the request of the National Assembly.

The Department said the refurbishment ensures the structure can withstand Cape Town’s adverse weather conditions while also providing improved soundproofing during parliamentary sittings. A day later, MacPherson announced that due to technical safety requirements, the scheduled handover would be postponed and a new date would be communicated.

James de Villiers, spokesperson for MacPherson, told Cape Argus that the Dome would be ready for SONA replies.

“The Dome was never intended to be used for SONA, but for the SONA replies,” he said.

“The venue for SONA was chosen by the Speaker long ago, and it was decided to be the City Hall to allow for the ceremonial parades.

“The Dome will still be ready for the SONA replies scheduled for the week thereafter.

“Yes, it will be ready for SONA replies as it was always intended to be.

“Costs will be revealed once the handover occurs, but here is an article where the costs were mentioned in a portfolio committee.”

“The cost will be jointly shared between the department and Parliament.”

Earlier, MacPherson took to his Twitter account where he shared the progress of the Dome, indicating it would be completed. “This morning, I was briefed on the progress of the ‘Dome’ structure in Cape Town for long-term use by Parliament. We are working around the clock and through the holidays to get it ready for Parliament’s use in 2026,” he said at the time.

Last week he also commended the teams working on the Dome for its progress.

In December, the Joint Standing Committee on the Financial Management of Parliament welcomed the progress on the installation of the Nieuwmeester Dome. The committee conducted an on-site oversight visit, accompanied by MacPherson and the contractor, to assess whether the project would be on track ahead of SONA.

According to the Joint Standing Committee, the project costs about R30 million and is a joint financial and operational undertaking between the DPWI and Parliament. The Committee said at the time, MacPherson said the Dome was scheduled to be handed over before the 2026 SONA and that the progress was being tracked daily in line with agreed timelines. The committee added it heard that construction started on October 28, following a procurement and evaluation process. It indicated that the site was formally handed over to the contractor on November 12, with a completion scheduled towards the end of January this year.

“We are encouraged by what we have seen today,” said Ms Sanny Ndhlovu, co-Chairperson during an oversight visit in December. “The contractor has assured us that many of the previous concerns have been addressed, and we welcome that,” the Chairperson said.

The committee said it also acknowledged that several elements of the project will be the responsibility of Parliament, including security systems, audio-visual installations, and VIP furniture for holding rooms. Getting these components operational will proceed in parallel with the department’s construction work. It stated that the immediate priority for both institutions remains to ensure that the temporary chamber is fully functional and ready for use.

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Cape Argus