WRAP | From buildings to artwork — the parliament fire in numbers

Buildings handed over to the Hawks for investigation

07 January 2022 - 14:00
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The fire in the roof of parliament in Cape Town reignited on Monday afternoon.
The fire in the roof of parliament in Cape Town reignited on Monday afternoon.
Image: Moloto Mothapo via Twitter

Firefighters have withdrawn from the parliamentary precinct and the buildings have been handed over to the Hawks for investigation. 

On Thursday parliament said engineers from the department of public works were on site to assess whether the affected buildings were safe for access by the Hawks. 

South Africans watched in shock when a blaze that erupted in the early hours of Sunday gutted parts of the parliamentary precinct. The fire was fully contained on Wednesday after teams from the Cape Town fire department were deployed to parliament.

Alleged arsonist 49-year old Zandile Christmas Mafe, from Khayelitsha, was arrested on Sunday in connection with the fire. He faces charges of housebreaking, theft and arson and further charges under the National Key Points Act.

Here is a look at how events unfolded:

More than 300 firefighters 

The City of Cape Town assigned more than 300 firefighters to the scene.

By Tuesday, there were 20 firefighters extinguishing the fire and only one fire engine remained at the scene, with crew members working on the affected floors ensuring there were no flare-ups. 

On Wednesday, the fire was contained and the buildings were handed over to the authorities for investigation.

71-hour blaze

The fire raged for 71 hours, which included a flare-up on Monday.

Firefighting appliances

According to parliament, the firefighters used 60 firefighting appliances and two specialised aerial pieces of equipment during the three-day battle. The equipment included hydraulic platforms and pumps. 

Buildings and floors destroyed 

The New Assembly building was destroyed.

The third and fifth floors of the old National Assembly building were destroyed after the flare-up on Monday afternoon. 

Mace and Keiskamma tapestry

The new mace, created in 2004, was saved from the fire, said parliamentary spokesperson Moloto Mothapo.

The mace was created to replace a previous one used since the 1800s.

The new mace represents the new democratic dispensation. 

The Keiskamma tapestry, made of beads and skin by women from the Eastern Cape, was also unharmed by the blaze. It is 112m long and 70m high.

Roads closed 

Five roads were closed while emergency services assessed the damage at the parliamentary precinct.


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