In Pictures

In Pictures: Fire ravages South Africa’s 138-year-old parliament

Dozens of crews battled to extinguish the fire which broke out in the parliament complex’s oldest wing.

Fire burns at the Houses of Parliament, in Cape Town — A major fire destroyed a large part of South Africa's parliament in Cape Town [Jerome Delay/AP Photo]

A large fire has torn through South Africa’s parliament complex in Cape Town, causing extensive damage at a site that witnessed some of the country’s key moments.

As firefighters struggled to tame Sunday’s blaze, a dark plume of smoke and flames rose high into the air above Cape Town. Police said a 49-year-old man had been detained in connection to the fire, which destroyed offices and led to the collapse of some ceilings.

Officials said the fire started in the Old Assembly building, which was built in 1884 and originally housed the parliament but is now used for offices. It spread to the newer National Assembly building, built in the 1980s, which is where the parliament now sits.

Authorities feared extensive damage to both buildings, which have stark white facades, elaborate roof linings and majestic columns, now all obscured by flames and smoke. There were also fears that priceless artefacts inside, including an original manuscript of South Africa’s Afrikaans national anthem, would be lost forever.

While the Old Assembly building was closely connected to South Africa’s colonial and apartheid history, the National Assembly building was where former President FW de Klerk stood up at the opening of parliament in 1990 and announced he was freeing liberation hero Nelson Mandela from prison and effectively ending the apartheid system of white-minority rule.

President Cyril Ramaphosa and many of South Africa’s top politicians were in Cape Town for the funeral on Saturday of retired Archbishop and anti-apartheid Desmond Tutu at St George’s Cathedral, about a block away from the parliament.

Many in the country viewed the fire as a double blow on the first two days of the new year, after saying farewell to Tutu and then seeing their parliament burn.

“It’s just really a terrible setback,” Ramaphosa said. “The Arch (Tutu) would’ve been devastated as well. This is a place he supported and prayed for.”

Firefighters try to extinguish flames at the South African Parliament — Dozens of crews battled throughout the day to extinguish the fire, which started at 6am. [Jerome Delay/AP Photo]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa inspects damages at the Parliament building in Cape Town — President Cyril Ramaphosa arrived at the parliament, accompanied by other officials, to inspect the situation. [Elmond Jiyane/GCIS/ Reuters]

Statue of Louis Botha, former prime minister of the Union of South Africa, in front of the parliament in Cape Town — The statue of Louis Botha, former prime minister of the Union of South Africa, in front of the parliament. [Mike Hutchings/Reuters]

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, addresses the press after visiting Parliament, in Cape Town — Ramaphosa told reporters at the scene that an arrest had been made. The police later confirmed a 51-year-old man had been detained. [Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi/AP Photo]