By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mobile operator Vodacom has dismissed the early speculation that the fire that broke out at their head offices on 9 July 2023, pointed to the solar panels on the roof being the primary cause of the blaze.
The building is located at Century City, a development situated north of the Cape Town CBD.
While the photographs shared online showed the company’s rooftop solar system ablaze, Vodacom cautioned that it still had to investigate the cause.”
“It is regrettable that the early speculation concerning the fire that broke out at our offices in Century City on 9 July, pointed to the solar panels on the roof being the primary cause of the blaze,” Vodacom spokesperson Byron Kennedy said in a short statement on Friday.
Vodacom said the speculation has unfairly cast a bad light on solar energy technology.
“Whilst we are busy finalising the investigation, we felt it prudent to place on record that the preliminary report by the forensic team has ruled out solar technology being the cause of the fire and that it was an electrical fault instead,” said Kennedy.
“Once the report is finalised, we will issue an updated statement in due course, added the spokesperson.”
The company assured the consumers that the fire did not have any impact on its regional or national network operations.