Fire sweeps through South African Parliament, damaging historic buildings

“This is a very sad day for democracy for Parliament is the home of our democracy,” de Lille said, according to the Associated Press.

Speaker of Parliament, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, speaking to Newzroom Africa, urged against speculating on the cause until police could investigate and deliver an official report.

The full extent of the damage is not yet known, but JP Smith, a Cape Town mayoral committee member responsible for safety and security, predicted it "will be significant.” The AP reported that authorities feared parts of the historic buildings could collapse in the heat.

"These are valuable buildings which we cannot afford to lose,” Smith told told Newzroom Africa. He added that “the fact that they’re calling for more resources to assist is not a good sign” and noted that the security measures in the buildings hamper the ability of fire crews.

De Lille later told reporters that one of the oldest buildings in parliament – the Old Assembly Chamber – was burning but the National Assembly was secured, per Bloomberg.

Smith said at a news conference in front of parliament that firefighters were dealing with a partial roof collapse, according to CNN. “The roof of the building has collapsed, on the one side, and the fire has spread to the New Assembly, according to the officers. They’ve detected large cracks in the wall, which is of concern."

Parliament is not in session because of the holidays, the BBC reported.

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and many South African politicians were in Cape Town for the funeral service of Archbishop Desmond Tutu on Saturday, which the AP reported took place about a block away from the Parliament precinct. Tutu died last Sunday at the age of 90.

Read more:

South Africa wildfire that burned University of Cape Town, library of African antiquities is under control

‘A moral giant’: South Africans pay their respects to Tutu

Australia’s Old Parliament House is set on fire during protest