By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A fire broke out at the government’s historic Botha Sigcau Building, located at the corner of Leeds and Owen Street in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, on Monday evening.
Fullview learnt the fire broke out on the fourth floor at about 7pm on Tuesday, engulfed the multi-storey building that houses more than 11 government departments, including health, education, agriculture and rural development etc.
The firefighters are working to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby areas.
At this stage, the situation is still being actively managed, with emergency personnel focused on containing the flames and minimising potential damage.
King Sabata Dalindyebo Local Municipality mayor Goodman Nelani described the fire as a devastating loss for the municipality and the broader region.
“It is a sad day, and we have lost our landmark as the municipality. We have lost the major building which is hosting a lot of people that are working in this region, which will take government some time for us to stabilise the delivery from all the departments working in this building,” Nelani said.
He added that the destruction went beyond infrastructure, striking at the historical significance of the site.
“We have lost history. Something close to our heart. This building has been here since 1975. As a municipality we are concerned about the amount of work that needs to be done to address the situation and the service delivery that will be disrupted,” he said.
Nelani said preliminary information indicated the fire started on one of the upper floors before spreading rapidly.
Authorities urged members of the public to avoid the area and allow emergency teams space to carry out their work safely.
MEC for Public Works, Infrastructure and Human Settlements, Siphokazi Lusithi, said she has noted with deep concern the fire that has severely damaged the historic Botha Sigcawu Building.
She said a team of firefighters and emergency personnel from the OR Tambo District Municipality, together with professionals from the Eastern Cape Department of Public Works and Infrastructure, responded to the incident.
“The building accommodates a number of government departments, and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure will urgently engage with affected departments to ensure business continuity and minimise any disruption to service delivery.
“Government wishes to assure the community of the OR Tambo District that every effort is being made to put contingency measures in place to ensure that critical service delivery functions continue uninterrupted.
“Further details regarding temporary arrangements will be communicated as soon as they become available, “Lusithi said.
The Eastern Cape government said it would continue to monitor the situation closely and will work with relevant stakeholders to assess the extent of the damage and determine the necessary interventions, including plans for the restoration of this important public asset.
This story has been updated with statement from Department of Public Works.