Mthatha court staff‚ lawyers‚ suspects evacuated as building catches fire

[caption id="attachment_222664" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Picture: Lulamile Feni[/caption]

Court staff‚ lawyers‚ magistrates and prosecutors‚ suspects and complainants were evacuated from the Mthatha Magistrate's Court in the Eastern Cape on Monday afternoon when the building caught fire.

The incident happened shortly after lunchtime and police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Mzukisi Fatyela said that it was not yet clear what caused the fire.

''Police are investigating an arson case‚'' said Fatyela.

The fire started in the office where cases are captured and some dockets are kept.

But Fatyela said that they could not say how many dockets have been affected.

"But if there are any‚ people should not think that this is the end. We have copies and back-up of each and every docket‚'' said Fatyela.

The King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality which has serious problems with fire engines was again at the centre of blame on Monday.

Not a single fire engine from the KSD arrived despite the fire brigade station being less than a kilometre away from the magistrate's court.

There was no explanation from the KSD municipality as to why they do not have fire engines.

Fire engines from OR Tambo District Municipality‚ the SANDF military base and the Mthatha Airport arrived about two hours after the fire started.

People were angry and shouted at them thinking that they were from KSD.