The Botha Sigcau Building in Mthatha — gutted by fire on Tuesday night — had previously been declared unsafe for occupation, with officials warning of serious safety failures, including the inability to conduct fire drills.
The historic 11-storey building in the Eastern Cape town’s CBD, which housed multiple government departments, was devastated by the blaze, which is believed to have destroyed a treasure trove of documents as well as computer equipment and systems, threatening the delivery of services.
No-one was injured in the fire itself, but two firefighters were reportedly admitted to hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation.
The Hawks are investigating the cause of the fire, which is believed to have started on the fourth floor, near the back of the building, at about 6.40pm and was completely extinguished only at about 5.20am on Wednesday.
Documents submitted by the Eastern Cape economic development, environmental affairs and tourism department to the provincial legislature on January 29 show the building had been flagged as non-compliant with occupational health and safety legislation after assessments conducted between July and September 2025.
Among the concerns listed were “severe unresolved maintenance problems”, security breaches and the condition of the building, which was “deemed unsafe for occupation”.
Crucially, the report states: “No fire drills are possible due to [the] building condition, and non-co-ordination of drills by [the department of public works and infrastructure].”
The department had already moved staff to remote working arrangements because of the risks.
Correspondence between the department and unions in September described conditions as hazardous, citing electrical rewiring, structural concerns, dust exposure, water interruptions and compromised fire safety systems, including disconnected extinguishers and inadequate escape routes.
Public works MEC Siphokazi Lusithi’s spokesperson, Siyabonga Mdodi, confirmed there had been problems with the building but said the department had been addressing these with “phased renovations”, including the installation of fire hydrants and electrical repairs.
Phase 1 of the project, which was focused on the building’s second floor, had been completed.
Mdodi said the building housed 11 government departments.
“A team of engineers from head office is assessing the damage … and the cost of rehabilitation.
“Government is doing all things necessary for service delivery not to be interrupted,” he said, adding that the cause and point of origin of the fire were still unknown.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane said the fire was a major setback for the province.
“That building is an important asset where our people received services in the offices that are now destroyed and clearly important documents have been erased by the fire.
“It is high time for all government departments to store information on cloud as it is remote and more secure.”
The blaze has disrupted service delivery and officials fear that essential administrative systems and decades of irreplaceable archival material was destroyed.
At the centre of that disruption is the Eastern Cape Deeds Registry: Mthatha, responsible for the registration, management and maintenance of property records across much of the former Transkei.
Its jurisdiction spans towns including Mthatha, Butterworth, Bizana, Cofimvaba, Lusikisiki, Mount Frere, Ngqeleni, Qumbu and Tsolo, meaning the disruption could affect property transfers, ownership records and legal processes across a large portion of the province.
Operating independently of the Qonce deeds office, the loss places additional strain on an already stretched system and raises concerns about delays in property transactions.
It is deeply concerning that the Botha Sigcau Building was reportedly in a state of neglect prior to the fire
The building’s basement also housed a vast archive documenting the history and lived experiences of black communities in the Eastern Cape, with records dating back to the pre-colonial era.
South African National Civic Organisation provincial secretary Tony Duba said: “It is deeply concerning that the Botha Sigcau Building was reportedly in a state of neglect prior to the fire.
“This raises critical questions about maintenance protocols within government facilities.
“The impact of this fire extends far beyond property damage. The building housed key government departments that are central to service delivery in Mthatha.
“Its destruction will inevitably disrupt access to vital services, including health care, education and social support.
“This disruption threatens to deepen existing inequalities and undermine ongoing development efforts in the region.
UDM president Bantu Holomisa, who previously ruled the former Transkei, with Mthatha as its capital, described the building as “a cornerstone of our country’s political and administrative history”.
Dating back to 1975, the Botha Sigcau Building housed successive Transkei administrations, including leaders such as KD Matanzima, George Matanzima, Stella Sigcau and Holomisa himself.
“It was in this very building that, upon my assumption of leadership in 1987, we received many delegations from across the world.
“This is not merely a structure of bricks and mortar, but a living symbol of governance, transition and the resilience of the people of the Transkei,” Holomisa said.
The UDM noted that landmark decisions taken in the building included the unbanning of political organisations, engagement with trade unions and participation in negotiations that shaped SA’s democratic transition.
Business leaders said the fire exposed failures in infrastructure and emergency response.
Mthatha Eastern Cape Chamber of Business secretary-general Dr Andile Nontso said: “What shocked us more is that the KSD fire department could not extinguish the fire and that building burned down [in] flames.
“This will affect service delivery to our communities who depend on those departments for services in Transkei. The economy of Transkei and Mthatha in particular will go down and unemployment will rise again.”
Chamber president Vuyisile Ntlabathi said the municipality’s fire response capacity was effectively non-existent.
“The fire-fighting department is less than 2km from Botha Sigcau, but they dismally failed to contain the fire even after they were joined by others [firefighters] from OR Tambo and the airport.
“We have a fire department [in] name only. They are incapacitated.
“Government will not have money to restore this historic building … This is a disaster.”
The fire brings to 12 the number of buildings gutted in Mthatha since 2021 — six of them historic structures.
Eastern Cape sport, recreation, arts and culture MEC Sibulele Ngongo warned of the cultural cost.
“This is not just a building on fire — it is a living archive of our collective history.
“Such a loss would be immeasurable. It would erase generations of memory — stories of our people, our struggles, our governance systems, our languages and our cultural evolution.”
Municipal spokesperson Sonwabo Mampoza said the building was “a central hub accommodating multiple government departments delivering essential services to the community”.
He confirmed the fire spread rapidly, prompting a response from local and regional emergency services.
Lusithi said the government would engage affected departments to ensure continuity of services.
However, questions remain about whether those services can realistically continue at scale, and where displaced staff will be accommodated.
“Our immediate task is to restore this building because we believe morally and politically, we can’t let it go to ruin,” Lusithi said.
Alternative arrangements were being made for staff, with options including working from home, using other government buildings, or temporary facilities.
Lusithi said the national government, including the presidency, had offered support and consideration was being given to declaring the site a disaster.
Our immediate task is to restore this building because we believe morally and politically, we can’t let it go to ruin
A detailed assessment would determine the extent of the damage and restoration costs.
For residents and former workers, the loss is deeply personal.
“My mother got her first job there in the department of social development … It was always a place of hope for us,” Nangamso Fakude said.
Basanda Nondlazi said: “My father… would be very hurt to see this. This building is part of family history."
Nkosi Dakhile Ndamase said: “If you grew up in Mthatha, you knew the Botha Sigcau Building … Seeing it burn is like losing a member of the family.”
Daily Dispatch
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