Fire reignited at South Africa parliament as suspect to appear in court

A new blaze at the complex housing South Africa’s parliament in Cape Town, South Africa, broke out as a suspect arrested in connection with the Sunday’s fire is due to appear in court on Tuesday.

Strong winds reignited the fire that broke out early Sunday and caused extensive damage to the national parliament building.

Firefighters had brought the blaze under control, but temperatures remained high inside and the wind picked up Monday afternoon.

The new fire “completely gutted” the fourth and fifth floors of the New Wing, above the national assembly, which are full of books and wooden bookshelves.

The fire was brought under control around midnight, with firefighters going through the “maze-like building, room-for-room” to extinguish hot spots, said Cape Town city officials in a statement.

The process will take a while, as wooden cladding in some rooms needs to be pulled apart to find any hidden spots.

A 49-year-old man arrested on the night of the fire is expected to appear in court Tuesday, facing charges of arson, as well as housebreaking and theft, according to a police statement.

Police noticed him when they saw the building on fire, and he was caught with allegedly stolen property.

He is believed to have entered the building through an office window.

“There is a possibility of other charges being added as there was a security breach here,” the elite Hawks police unit spokesperson Nomthandazo Mbambo told eNCA television.

The fire has caused the worst damage in the New Wing, housing the parliament’s lower chamber, whose roof collapsed. The roof of the Old Wing, dating back to 1884 and housing the National Council of Provinces, or upper wing, also partially collapsed.

Important sections, including a museum, were saved, as was an embroidered tapestry on the ground floor of the Old Assembly Building telling the story of the Eastern Cape.

National Assembly speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said President Cyril Ramaphosa’s state of the nation address to a joint session of parliament will still go ahead on 10 February, but at an alternate location.

Parliamentary officials said lawmakers will still debate and approve the budget and committees will continue their work.

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