Over a century of history has gone up in smoke as the University of Cape Town’s library became the latest victim of Sundays horrific fire on Table Mountain, South Africa. Literary treasures have been lost however some of the most valuable works were reportedly saved by the quick activation of roller doors.Rhodes Memorial Restaurant was completely burnt down and other buildings as well as several vehicles also went up in flames.
The huge fire on Table Mountain in Cape Town is believed to have begun at around 09h00 on Sunday morning and began heading towards the University of Cape Town.The fire spread to the veld above the Upper campus and to areas below the M3 highway damaging buildings and forcing the University to evacuate 4000 students.
The Table Mountain National Park spokesperson said Sunday had an extreme Fire Danger Index with temperatures of 36 degrees noted and an extremely low relative humidity of under 10% .One of the major contributors to the rapid rate of spread was the very old pine trees and their debris. The fire created its own wind that further increased the rate of spread. The excessive amount of smoke and related updrafts made it impossible for the aerial support to slow the rate of spread.
God has many ways to correct wrong doing. Maybe this is a sign to give the institution a new lease of life by erasing any controversy linked with this institution. We hope no life has been lost, buildings and materials of historical significance can be replaced.
Very sad scenes of fiery destruction when i know knowledge is power + better livelihoods.On the other end UNZA rotting from neglect.
It is just a natural fire and has nothing to do with correcting the past wrongs of boers. Cape Town University is one of the world top class which has opened its doors to all. I hope management will move and restore whatever has been destroyed. In any case the boers despite their past wrongs had put up important higher learning institutions whilst my black leaders given an opportunity are busy building large mansions or buying in foreign lands. A classical example in DR. Congo Mubotu Seseko never built any higher learning Institution in his country to be remembered for. All he did was massive rooting to enrich himself and his close associates.
Only barbarians celebrate whn a university building goes up in flames. The racist past of South Africa is a matter of historical fact. Should that history be forgotten about? Absolutely no. History has both pleasant and unpleasant bits. We should learn lessons from both. I consider myself an amateur historian. I read both pleasant and unpleasant bits.
To bad to loss history. It good that some information was preserved. He