Fire breaks out at South Africa's parliament building

An entire floor has been gutted and the roof has collapsed after a fire broke out at South Africa's parliament in Cape Town.

President Cyril Ramaphosa said it was 'devastating news' but the work of parliament would continue.

Speaking to reporters, he said: 'I believe somebody is being held right now and they're being questioned.'

[TheGlassman]

Documents that would ruin politicians lives and wages no doubt were in there

[chrischris]

Strange, with the old Australian parliament going up a couple of day's ago.

[bbutc]

The entire facility appears to be covered in CCTV cameras - so I'll be surprised if the authorities don't find out who is behind this or how the fire started.

[carolnewdawn]

It's the arson variant, spreading across the globe.

[ianbrown]

First the Australian Parliament ablaze, now South African Parliament...The people are rising up

[daveleighton]

How on earth does someone get into a secure precinct, enter a building, set it on fire and none of the security details or cameras pick him up?

[dm]

In the spirit of Guy fox!!!
Parliament's around the world better watch out, it appears the people are getting angry!

[FJTx]

1930's Reichstag Germany comes to mind.

[alanwakefield]

That's 2 now... Is there a trend starting?

[beautifulcrazy]

Somebody is trying to get rid of department first.

[davidopsina]

The building is completely destroyed. Now is the time to relocate parliament to Pretoria and demolish the ruins and build low cost housing in its place. It was always a stupid idea to have Tshwane as the Capital and then leave parliament in Cape Town.

[jonathonjubb]

We could do with some of that round here...

[justsayen]

aha now we know where Boris is hiding 👀

[JG-fvbv]

Mmmmm dirty accounts gone ip in flames no doubt rid of the paper chain

[MW-ttfy]

Same in australia! "Canberra fire parliament"

[Visionery]

Water damage is often worse than the fire and smoke. One wonders if a centralized CO2 fire management system, as used at many petrol stations, would not be a better idea: fire breaks out, that area's CO2 system activates, fire is extinguished.

[scended]

Two parliament fires, right after the guilty Maxwell verdict?

[choco-mpoz]

Oh how the mighty shall fall globally one by one the games up 👌

[dianeward]

Canberra too, perhaps people are waking up to what's been going on, let's see what else goes up!

[BroadHobbyProjects]

This revenge for SA revealing how weak an lump this new "variant is? Lol