Photo by Gallo Images / Brenton Geach

ANOTHER fire: Department of Justice building ‘targeted’ on Friday

Police have opened a case docket for arson on Friday, after another suspicious fire was reported – this time at the Department of Justice.

by Tom Head

07-01-2022 12:58

in News

Photo by Gallo Images / Brenton Geach

Another incident at a National Key Point has taken place on Friday, after a small fire was reported at the Department of Justice in Cape Town. The blaze didn’t take much containing, but it certainly adds to a list of suspicious activity around government buildings.

First Parly, then ConCourt… and now the DoJ?

The week started with the alleged arson attack on a now-gutted Parliament building in the Mother City. A man wielding a hammer then smashed windows at the Constitutional Court. Meanwhile, explosive devices had been detected at both Bloemfontein Airport and a waste disposal site in Hout Bay.

Earlier on Friday, Sergeant Wesley Twigg was able to confirm that SAPS have launched an investigation into the incident, and details have been provided for anyone who can share information about this alleged attack with the police:

“Cape Town Central Police opened an arson case docket for investigation after a fire was reported in Queen Victoria Street Cape Town. No one was arrested. The investigation in to the matter continues. Anyone with any information about this incident can contact Crime Stop on 08600 10111.”
Wesley Twigg

Department of Justice building fire – latest news and updates

Details remain scarce at this point in time, but we have been able to ascertain the basics:

There was an attempt to set a wooden door at the Department of Justice building on fire, at the building on Queen Victoria Street.
The door itself has been partially burned, but this was a very small and minor fire.
Forensic investigators have arrived at the scene, and they’re swabbing for DNA evidence on Friday.
We are awaiting further comment from SAPS, but as it stands, this has not been linked to the Parliament fire yet.
An arson docket has been opened this afternoon, but no arrests have been made.
The reaction on social media, meanwhile, has been largely cynical:

Another fire… at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development building in Cape Town.

Yes it's fire season, veld fires and not buildings of the state!
— Earl-Ryan September (@earlseptember) January 7, 2022