Gloria Motsoere21 January 2024 | 10:45

Search on for suspects behind Brakpan Library fire

Police are following up on several leads in the hunt for the suspects alleged to have set the Brakpan Library alight.

Search on for suspects behind Brakpan Library fire

An image of the Brakpan Library after a fire ripped through the heritage building on Friday, 19 January 2023. Picture: X/@City_Ekurhuleni

The City of Ekurhuleni says its working with local police to find suspects involved in what's believed to be a case of arson, after the monumental Brakpan Library was razed to the ground. 


The 93-year-old building, in the east of Johannesburg, caught alight on Friday night.

 
Firefighters were only able to extinguish the ferocious flames in the early hours of yesterday morning. 


The historic structure was built more than 80 years ago and later declared a heritage site. 


While officials say it has not yet been established what caused the blaze, they suspect it was intentionally set alight. 


Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini says police have information that they believe will lead them to the perpetrators.


"We are hoping that the police will be able to make an arrest soon because there are certain leads we are following. We don't know who the suspects are and we cannot divulge what is being done but there is work being done to get to the bottom of the incident."