Parliament gets to feel what it's like to lose power

Power cuts hit parliament at 10.01am on Wednesday in Cape Town.

It is unusual for the legislative seat of government to experience the rolling power cuts that are being experienced throughout the country.

When the power went off, MPs in the justice portfolio committee were considering the DA’s request to expedite the process of removing public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office.

“Phakamani Hadebe [Eskom's CEO] takes his power," one quipped.

“This is embarrassing,” said one MP. Another asked the media in jest not to report on the power outage.

But generators kicked in almost immediately at the building on 120 Plein Street, where the committee was meeting. The building is one of five that are declared national key points in the parliamentary precinct.

TimesLIVE also understands that the power outage hit parliament just as the National Council of Provinces was about to begin a debate on the constitutional review committee’s report on the expropriation of land without compensation.