POLICE are on the trail of the arsonists who set fire to a popular community facility at Humansdorp over the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Community Services Portfolio Councillor Daniel Benson, the Humansdorp Country Club was broken into and set alight on Saturday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The fire was reported to the Kouga Fire Department at 9:15pm. Vehicles were immediately despatched to the scene, with backup assistance from Jeffreys Bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Firefighters found the storeroom at the hall engulfed by flames and battled until 22:30 to extinguish the blaze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe affected section was badly damaged, with only the wall left standing. The rest of the building suffered extensive smoke damage,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Benson said it was unclear what the motivation of the perpetrators was but that that police were investigating a case of arson and malicious damage to public property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPreliminary evidence shows that entry was gained forcibly through the back of the main building and then through the hall,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the cost of the damage was expected to be significant and that insurance assessors would be crunching the numbers once their own investigation was done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said the fire was a blow to all Kouga communities as the Country Club has always been a popular venue for a variety of events, from sports matches to workshops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt is a public asset and the attempt to destroy it is an attack on the community at large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe facility will now have to be closed for a period yet to be determined, affecting all those who make use of the venue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Benson called on anyone with information to approach the police and called on community leaders to rise and mobilise residents against the destruction of public property.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
POLICE are on the trail of the arsonists who set fire to a popular community facility at Humansdorp over the 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