A blaze destroyed dockets and offices in the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court complex yesterday – and no fire engines or firefighters were available for two hours.
Arson is suspected and being investigated by police.
There were extraordinary scenes of police, court officials and security guards battling to put out the blaze while an angry crowd shouted outside the offices of King Sabata Dalindyebo (KSD) municipality.
The municipal headquarters are across the road from the court complex.
The KSD fire-brigade station is less than a kilometre from the magistrate’s court but fire engines from OR Tambo, Mthatha Airport and 14th South African Infantry Battalion 10km away only arrived about two hours after the fire started.
KSD municipal manager Mlamli Zenzile disputed the time it took for firefighting services to arrive.
“ORT district were first to arrive and fight. Their one fire engine was there. I was notified about the fire just after 2pm and it took 10 minutes for the fire engine to get there,” he said.
Police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said: “Police are investigating a case of arson. There were some charge sheets and dockets that were kept in those offices.”
Police had their hands full as officers had to calm the angry mob voicing its disapproval of the municipality and its dysfunctional fire department.
It is now more than six months since the municipality has had no fire engines after the entire fleet was said to be under repairs.
Some senior court officials, who said they were not allowed to speak to the media, expressed concern at the situation of KSD, calling it a sign of a collapsing administration.
The court fire comes after the Mqanduli Magistrate’s Court was burnt down recently.
Everyone at the court was evacuated.
At least one office at the Integrated Justice Criminal Centre was gutted and all documents in that office were destroyed.
Other offices and the adjacent regional court were smoke damaged.
Court officials were seen dashing out of the court house with some dockets in an effort to rescue them from the flames.
Fatyela said that the fire started at the office where cases were captured and some dockets or charge sheets kept, but could not say how many dockets were affected.
But those hoping the destruction of the documents would be the end of their case are in for disappointment.
“We have back-up copies of each and every docket,’’ Fatyela said.
The police spokesman applauded the role played by police officers in fighting the fire, and the court security staff who risked their lives to prevent the establishment from being completely destroyed.
Zenzile said KSD had five fire engines, but only one “skid” firefighting vehicle (a van with a water drum) was available.
He said: “It was in the yard.” He could not say why it did not go to fight the fire.
He said four engines had been out of action for repairs but, of these, two returned to service yesterday. He could not say why they had not been used to fight the court blaze.
His spokesman, Sonwabo Mampoza said: “We have a working relationship with OR Tambo, the airport and the military.
“We called them when we got the call and they came to assist. And some of our firemen responded.” — Additional reporting by Mike Loewe