Disappointment, despair and anger have engulfed Komani after another major municipal building, the more than 130-year-old town hall, went up in flames on Friday.
Opposition parties and residents want answers on how a fourth municipal building caught fire in two years.
Enoch Mgijima municipality spokesperson Lonwabo Kowa said the incident had left the municipality devastated.
“The fire was reported at about 11pm and efforts to extinguish it were unsuccessful,” Kowa said.
“The building houses the offices of the executive mayor, speaker, chief whip, municipal manager, and COO and the corporate services department (human resources and administration).”
“The cause of the fire is not yet known; the incident was reported to the police this morning. An investigation into what caused the fire will ensue.”
Kowa said furniture and working equipment had been destroyed.
“The town hall is insured” he said.
“Nearby buildings were not affected as firefighters put efforts into ensuring that the fire did not spread.”
“The Komani Town Hall was constructed in 1882 and has serviced members of the community all these years and remains one of the notable heritage sites of the Enoch Mgijima municipality.
“This will have an impact on the services rendered by the municipality. New arrangements for office accommodation will be made.”
The DA blasted the municipality, accusing it of “ongoing neglect of infrastructure” in Komani.
DA MPL and Enoch Mgijima constituency leader Jane Cowley said:
“It is very disturbing that all four buildings that have been gutted by fire in recent months contained valuable and sensitive municipal records, including records of foul play and maladministration of the highest order.
“One can only assume, therefore, that these fires were no accident.”
“Also disturbing is the fact that the fire engine, which was waiting for repairs in October last year when the art gallery burnt down, is still without an engine and the municipality alleges it has no money for repairs.”
Komani Civic Forum chair Zithulele Sana said they believed that the town hall was burnt to thwart investigations into alleged corruption within the municipality.
“It looks like it was done to destroy crucial evidence,” he said.
“While the investigations into corruption continue, the auditors are also about to scrutinise the municipality.”
“We are really not happy with how this municipality is run. There is no service delivery here at all while corruption remains the major challenge.”
Clean Komani chair Simamnkele Vanqa said the incident was a major blow for the people of the town.
“It’s absolutely one of the worst things that could have happened to Komani,” Vanqa said.
“That building hosts the office of the mayor and council chambers and it was just destroyed. It is not only a heritage building, but it has a huge significance to our town as well.
“For example, when Queens College celebrates a decade, its pupils troop in front of the town hall and I honestly don’t know how we will be able to celebrate our town turning 170 next year with buildings just burning like this.”
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