Durban - The preliminary forensic investigation into the fire that gutted the DA party offices at the provincial parliament building in Pietermaritzburg last week has established that the likely cause was arson.
DA parliamentary leader Sizwe Mchunu confirmed this in a statement on Monday, saying the party was “extremely disturbed” by this new development and would be keeping a close eye on the investigation.
“At this stage there are indications that the fire was started by a person or persons. We have also been advised that there was an attempt to damage our information storage units, including computers and printing machines,” Mchunu said.
He said the DA would be in talks with KwaZulu-Natal’s Community and Safety Liaison MEC, Willies Mchunu, to assist with the investigation.
Nine rooms, including offices used by six members of the provincial legislature, two support staff offices and a boardroom, were gutted.
Floors and roofs caved in and reams of documentation were destroyed.
The fire that gutted the DA offices on Wednesday last week is the second major fire to hit opposition parties in a month.
Four IFP offices were razed in the legislature in August.
The legislature is still waiting for a report on this incident.
Speculation is rife among the DA and IFP that the fires are linked to a proposal made by the ANC following the elections to relocate the legislature to another parliamentary precinct in Pietermaritzburg.
Both provincial party leaders view the fires as political sabotage.
Daily News