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25 August 2023
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Pietermaritzburg campus set alight amid student protests
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The William O’Brien (WOB) building at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) Pietermaritzburg main campus was allegedly set on fire late on Monday night, 21 August 2023. Msunduzi Fire and Rescue’s chief fire officer, CFO Essack Khan, said, “At 22h54, we received this call as a small fire tyres burning at UKZN. It must be noted with the ongoing strike and protest action by students we have been attending these types of fires. We dispatched the relevant resource a bakkie sakkie used for rubbish, grass and bush fires. On route, we received further calls that the student hall was now set alight.”
“We then dispatched our nearest station Oribi with a major pumper together with support from Edendale Fire Station with its major pumper. 13 fire fighters were on scene. Fire fighter crews on scene were unable to save the hall from fire damage, however, they were able to stop the fire from spreading to other adjacent buildings. Close of call was at 04h47. No persons were injured”, said CFO Khan.
He added, “It must be remembered that when we attend these type of incidents before we enter the fire zone we have to ensure that Public Order Policing (POP) must be in attendance before we respond and extinguish the fire. This causes delays as the SAPS must escort the Fire Rescue Service into the Fire Zone. Two weeks ago we had a near miss where fire fighters were nearly seriously injured as protestors (students) threw bricks at them.”
Pietermaritzburg police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala, said an employee at the university received a call from his colleagues informing him that there were about 50 students who were gathering by the WOB Lecture Hall. “When he went to check the students were busy collecting stones and there was a rubble fire that had already started inside the M9 gate. He went to get a fire extinguisher to put out the fire at the gate. He was then informed by the controller that the WOB Lecture Hall was on fire. When he got there the roof was already burnt and fire fighters and police were called,” he said.
Gwala said the entire WOB hall was burnt. Police are investigating a case of arson.
Source: CFO Essack Khan, chief fire officer, Msunduzi Fire and Rescue; Natal Witness
“We then dispatched our nearest station Oribi with a major pumper together with support from Edendale Fire Station with its major pumper. 13 fire fighters were on scene. Fire fighter crews on scene were unable to save the hall from fire damage, however, they were able to stop the fire from spreading to other adjacent buildings. Close of call was at 04h47. No persons were injured”, said CFO Khan.
He added, “It must be remembered that when we attend these type of incidents before we enter the fire zone we have to ensure that Public Order Policing (POP) must be in attendance before we respond and extinguish the fire. This causes delays as the SAPS must escort the Fire Rescue Service into the Fire Zone. Two weeks ago we had a near miss where fire fighters were nearly seriously injured as protestors (students) threw bricks at them.”
Pietermaritzburg police spokesperson Sergeant Sifiso Gwala, said an employee at the university received a call from his colleagues informing him that there were about 50 students who were gathering by the WOB Lecture Hall. “When he went to check the students were busy collecting stones and there was a rubble fire that had already started inside the M9 gate. He went to get a fire extinguisher to put out the fire at the gate. He was then informed by the controller that the WOB Lecture Hall was on fire. When he got there the roof was already burnt and fire fighters and police were called,” he said.
Gwala said the entire WOB hall was burnt. Police are investigating a case of arson.
Source: CFO Essack Khan, chief fire officer, Msunduzi Fire and Rescue; Natal Witness
