Symbolising pride and culture in a democracy space : proposed KwaZulu-Natal Legislature.
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Date
2011
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Abstract
KwaZulu Natal Legislature is an organization that requires office holders who can exercise
authority, speak on its behalf, administer its business and serve its members and
most importantly public affairs. Its functions are divided among elected officers, who
are Members of Parliament, and the permanent officers and their staff who are employed
for the House. Currently KwaZulu Natal (KZN) is in a transition period whereby
the original legislative and administrative structures are still in place and operational.
However the problem has been the recent amount of pressures of the new dispensation.
The province is in a strange and unique situation whereby we have a parliament
at Ulundi that operates as the original house of assembly operating designed
for (black) governance and now a Pietermaritzburg High Court with its own Assembly
house and administrative department both operating concurrently. The political problems
that have risen are immense and have caused huge turmoil between the two
leading political parties in the region that is the African National Congress (ANC) and
Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP). As a result there were problems of duplication of staff between
the two assembly houses, a duplication of services, resources. This situation has
affected the local government's financial situation by having to split the salaries, benefits
and additional expenses. The region of KwaZulu-Natal has for years been operating
like three provinces in one. [Provincial task report team-The provincial administration
of KwaZulu Natal, 1997].
Discussions of a single provincial legislature continue, but few issues have arisen like the
acknowledgement of traditional leaders and arguments about where the provincial
capital should be. Furthermore this has delayed the processes of drafting the provincial
constitution.The shortage of space has recently been the major contributor to
sudden urge for the need for a new legislature building. The Pietermaritzburg complex
is currently being scattered along Langalibalele Street, with the debating chamber on
one side and the administrative building located across the street. Further down is the
office of the Premier. The sudden increase of the local government service structure
has furthermore increased a definite need for the new building that will aim to address
the current issues. It is therefore crucial for the Legislature Buildings to express the new
socio-cultural paradigm that has emerged in KZN. [South Africa Report, 1995]
Description
Thesis (M.Arch.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.
Keywords
Historic buildings--KwaZulu-Natal., Public buildings--KwaZulu-Natal--Designs and plans., Theses--Architecture.