Cape Town city mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has offered the council chamber, Grand Parade and city hall for sittings of the national assembly and the upcoming state of the nation address.

Hill-Lewis said Sunday’s fire at parliament is a "national tragedy”.

“Cape Town is also the historic seat of parliament, and so we share in the sense of tragedy felt by so many at this time. While the full scale of the damage is being assessed, the city of Cape Town stands ready to do whatever it can to help.”

He said he had contacted speaker of parliament Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula to make their facilities available.

The state of the nation address is scheduled to take place on February 10.

“We want to see parliament continue its important work, and we will do what we can to help.”

Hill-Lewis said he was also grateful for the city’s firefighters who “responded so quickly and in such force this morning, for their brave efforts to save as much of parliament as possible".

“They deservedly earned the praise of President Cyril Ramaphosa in his press conference earlier, and they no doubt have the thanks of the country too.”

TimesLIVE