Forensic experts comb scene of fire at department of justice office in Cape Town

Forensic investigators are combing the scene at the department of justice regional office in Cape Town where a wooden door was allegedly set on fire.

The thick door which leads to a fire escape stairwell running along the side of the eight-storey building in Queen Victoria Street was partially burnt when TimesLIVE visited the scene on Friday.

Investigators were seen taking swab samples from two plastic bottles lying at the base of the burnt door.

The office overlooks parliament, which is a few dozen metres away on the other side of the Company Gardens.

City of Cape Town fire services had earlier handed over the National Assembly building in parliament to the Hawks, after it was allegedly set on fire by Zandile Christmas Mafe at the weekend.

There was no immediate indication that the two fires were linked. Police spokesperson Sgt Wesley Twigg confirmed that an investigation into the door burning incident was under way. “Cape Town central police opened an arson case docket for investigation ... no one was arrested,” said Twigg. 

Mafe is accused of setting the building on fire using a flammable liquid, a charge for which he stands accused under the Explosives Act.

He faces two charges of arson, housebreaking and theft for allegedly stealing crockery and documents, and a contravention of the Key Points Act.

He is expected to appear in the Cape Town magistrate's court on January 11 for a formal bail hearing.

In a third incident involving the judiciary, a man was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly using a hammer to smash the windows of the Constitutional Court building in Johannesburg. He appeared in court on Friday.

Anyone with information about the incident in Queen Victoria Street can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.

TimesLIVE