The municipal offices in Bushbuckridge were engulfed in flames in the early hours of Wednesday morning, September 14, in what appears to be an act of arson.
A provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Donald Mdhluli, said security guards had been on duty in the area at about 02:00 when they heard a loud band from the direction of the offices.
“Upon their investigation, they discovered that 11 office blocks had caught fire as well as 10 of the finance offices and one internal audit office,” said Mdhluli.
“The police and firefighters responded to the call and the fire was extinguished.”
He said several beer bottles that had been stuffed with cotton wool were found near the offices and seized as part of the police investigation.
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No casualties were reported, and the cost of the damage will be revealed as the investigation progresses.
The police urged anyone with information that might assist in the investigation into the cause of fire and the motive behind it, to contact Detective Captain Evans Mashego on 082 319 9732. Alternatively, call the Crime Stop number on 08600 10111 or send information via the My SAPS app. All received information will be treated as confidential and callers may opt to remain anonymous.
The provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant General Semakaleng Manamela, has voiced her concern over the burnt offices and said the incident might have a negative impact on service delivery in the area.
