Person arrested following the outbreak of fire at South Africa's parliament
January 3, 2022, 9:10 am

Person arrested following the outbreak of fire at South Africa's parliament

A major fire broke out in the South African parliament building in Cape Town on January 2, 2022/Facebook page

The Xinhua reported South African Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure Patricia De Lille on Sunday said a person was arrested following the outbreak of a fire at the parliament early in the day.

"It's confirmed that a person has been arrested and I can also confirm from General Bheki Cele (Minister of Police). The docket has now been handed over to the Hawks (Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation of the South African police), because it's the role of the Hawks to investigate any attack on political institutions," De Lille told media outside the parliament in her last briefing for the fire on the day, in Cape Town, legislative capital of South Africa.

She said, the person was arrested inside the parliament according to the police report.

The old assembly building and the lower house National Assembly have been on fire since early this morning. The cause of the fire is still unknown.

Cape Town's Fire and Rescue Services received a call of of a parliament building alight at 6:12 a.m. and the first fire appliance arrived within about 6 minutes.

The fire gutted the 3rd floor of the old wing, including the office space and the gym, and its roof collapsed and has gone, said Cape Town's Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security Jean-Pierre (JP) Smith, adding that fire also spread to adjacent building but has been stopped.

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The structural ceiling of the the National Assembly Wing collapsed and initial reports indicated the fire started in an office space, he said in fire updates. About 70 fire staff members are on the scene, according to him.

Cape Town municipality said it will provide its Council Chamber for sittings of the National Assembly, as well as the Grand Parade and City Hall for the State of the Nation Address scheduled on Feb. 10, 2022.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa promised a deep investigation into the fire when visiting the scene. "We need to go a lot deeper, a lot deeper into how this type of event can take place and what measures we will need to take going forward," Ramaphosa addressed media outside the parliament.

Houses of Parliament in the South African city of Cape Town on fire

The president said the fire first started at the hall of the old assembly building, then moved to the National Assembly.

He also commended key officials for their great capability, speed and resource mobilization in response to the fire, and said Speaker of the National Assembly Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula is rushing to the scene from the neighboring province the Eastern Cape by car as she couldn't get a flight.

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The fire has been contained in the old wing and firefighters are currently trying to control the fire in the new wing, where the fire has affected the National Assembly chamber, the parliament said in a statement earlier, adding that no person has been injured.

Besides De Lille, the Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa, the South African Police Services and security personnel of Parliament are in the parliamentary precinct to assess the situation, according to the parliament.

Source: xinhua

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.