Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
Parliament of the Republic of South Africa
4
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
The Tours Office arranges free guided tours of Parliament covering the history, the functions of Parliament, an explanation of how Parliament works and how to get involved in the Parliamentary processes. Parliament plays an important role in the life of the nation. It is elected to represent the citizens of South Africa according to the Constitution. Parliament is the place where laws are passed and where important issues of the day are discussed. It is the place where the views of citizens can be heard directly by parliamentary committees. Parliament also keeps the executive and state institutions accountable. Parliament is made up of two 'houses' - the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces (NCOP).
Duration: 1-2 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.0
65 reviews
Excellent
16
Very good
33
Average
12
Poor
4
Terrible
0
Vadim
Murmansk, Russia34,642 contributions
Nov 2021
The custom of placing supreme authorities is not unique to South Africa. For example, in Germany and Russia, the Constitutional Court is located not in the capital but in Karlsruhe and St. Petersburg, respectively. In the Netherlands, all authorities are located not in the capital Amsterdam, but in The Hague. The uniqueness of South Africa is connected with its history. The Union of South Africa was formed as a confederation of the British Possessions with its capital in Cape Town, the Orange Free State with its capital in Bloemfontein and the South African Republic (Transvaal) with its capital in Pretoria. Therefore, Pretoria left the government, Bloemfontein - the court, and Cape Town - the parliament. The South African Parliament buildings are located in Cape Town. The Parliament was housed in a building built in 1884 in the neoclassical style, and outbuildings built in the 1920s and 1980s. The outbuildings housed the National Assembly (the lower house of Parliament), and the National Council of Provinces (the upper house of Parliament) in the historic building. During my visit to Cape Town, the building was closed due to the pandemic for tourists, but it worked. However, on the morning of January 2, 2022, the South African parliament shared the fate of the German Reichstag. However, in 1933, the Nazis set fire to the Reichstag to blame the Communists. Everything is more absurd in Cape Town. Nothing can be done with the South African Herostratus. He turned out to be crazy. ..However, the results are as smart. The fire destroyed the premises of both chambers. The reasons are the same as with Paris Notre Dame. Criminal negligence. The fire-fighting system partially did not work, and the employees of the protection services apparently continued to celebrate the New Year. Maybe not everyone was recognized as crazy?
Written October 24, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cody C
Cape Town16 contributions
Mar 2015 • Business
I sort of quite like the fact that homeless people now surround parliament. They sleep on the streets next the exterior fences - they have effectively turned the Company Gardens into a well-tended camp for the homeless. It sort of makes me feel a bit better about the fact that the dear old president has been shamelessly stealing the taxpayer's cash and spending it uh, upgrades, for his house. At least now poor people are getting a slice of the action too. Parliament is brilliant. If you're homeless, then go there at once.
Written March 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sachin K
New York City, NY6,556 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
The parliament building is well preserved from it’s colonial days and is a unique building. The statue of Mandela stands out. Worth considering to visit the building complex when in Cape Town.
Written July 26, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linus
Breda, The Netherlands396 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
It's not open all the time so it might be good to find out the times they are open. There are gardens next to it that is a good place to walk and relax. One of the iconic buildings in Cape Town and worth the visit.
Written May 25, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The World is My Oyster
Orlando, FL21,671 contributions
Sept 2016 • Friends
Got the chance to walk near by the building and really liked the vice surrounding it. Sadly it was closed when we went, but we still enjoyed the views of it and what it means to thd South African people. Well worth stopping by even if just for a few pictures.
Written September 23, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hoosainnarker
Cape Town Central, South Africa6,145 contributions
Jul 2015 • Family
Visits to Parliament is rare and when one is afforded an opportunity, one must certainly grab it with open hands ...
Written December 21, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
serena99
Geneva, Switzerland939 contributions
Feb 2015 • Solo
would have loved to have visited this building but it's closed weekends and afternoons so try to get here in the morning mon to fri. the outside is lovely and in pleasant gardens, so you can enjoy a stroll around in the sun. there are a few other sites in the area so worth coming down here
Written March 22, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravellerDWM
London, UK521 contributions
Aug 2011 • Solo
You need to book in advance for a tour around Cape Town Parliament but it is worth it. The tour was interesting, took you into the various chambers. Very informative. You cannot take photos inside but they give you a CD with all the photos you could want. Most of the people on the tour were from S Africa. Highly recommend it. Email tours@parliament.gov.za
Written April 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Highcliffe_House
Gordon's Bay, South Africa61 contributions
Put it by a river wouldn't improve its appearance. Downtown and not a real "must-go-to" sight
Written March 13, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Bhekani R
Pretoria, South Africa247 contributions
Dec 2016 • Friends
This tour takes you inside the SA parliament, you get to see where SA laws are made and the country run. It is imperative to book a tour in advance.
Written January 14, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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