Fire sweeps through South African Parliament, damaging historic buildings

Firefighters battled a ample blaze astatine South Africa’s nationalist parliament analyzable connected Sunday, wherever officials feared harm could beryllium extensive.

Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, speaking to Newzroom Africa, urged against speculating connected the origin until constabulary could analyse and present an authoritative report.

The afloat grade of the harm is not yet known, but JP Smith, a Cape Town mayoral committee subordinate liable for information and security, predicted it "will beryllium significant.” The AP reported that authorities feared parts of the historical buildings could illness successful the heat.

"These are invaluable buildings which we cannot spend to lose,” Smith told told Newzroom Africa. He added that “the information that they’re calling for much resources to assistance is not a bully sign” and noted that the information measures successful the buildings hamper the quality of occurrence crews.

De Lille later told reporters that 1 of the oldest buildings successful parliament – the Old Assembly Chamber – was burning but the National Assembly was secured, per Bloomberg.

Smith said astatine a quality league successful beforehand of parliament that firefighters were dealing with a partial extortion collapse, according to CNN. “The extortion of the gathering has collapsed, connected the 1 side, and the occurrence has dispersed to the New Assembly, according to the officers. They’ve detected ample cracks successful the wall, which is of concern."

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and galore South African politicians were successful Cape Town for the ceremonial work of Archbishop Desmond Tutu connected Saturday, which the AP reported took spot astir a artifact distant from the Parliament precinct. Tutu died past Sunday astatine the property of 90.