Reward offered to stop ‘arsonist’
Businessman believes destructive bush fires deliberately started
APROMINENT Port Elizabeth businessman is offering a R10 000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of the person who, he says, is deliberately starting fires in the metro.
Hennie Botes, founder of international housing solutions company Moladi, said the fire that ravaged the Upper Seaview Road area last week had definitely been deliberately started, in his view.
“It started in the middle of a valley far from where anyone might accidentally toss a ‘stompie’ and far enough to make it difficult for a fire engine to get to the scene,” he said.
“It started just in the right place to ensure that with the wind blowing it could take out the vegetation that was not already destroyed by the previous fires. “It took tactics to get that right.” Aided by tinder-box stands of alien Port Jackson, the fire swept across the hill behind fleeing wildlife, he said.
“There were so many field mice running across the track used by the Telkom Tower guys it looked like something from the Pied Piper,” Botes said. “They escaped, but what about chicks in nests, bugs, tortoises and all the other animals that couldn’t move in time? It was terrible to see.”
Botes said the Upper Seaview area where he lives had two fires last year and the figure had increased tenfold this year.
“At the same time, they’re happening all over the metro from the university to Lady Slipper.
“Not everyone agrees with me but there are many who do – the stats clearly show somebody is playing a sick game.”
In the first fortnight of last month, The Herald reported an average of 20 fires a day breaking out from Uitenhage to Lorraine, Miramar, Kamma Heights and Kragga Kamma. On December 6, it ravaged Theescomb and destroyed a house in Chelsea Close.
The Bay fire department control centre said yesterday it had attended to 771 fire alerts last month.
Botes said it was not clear what the motive of the alleged arsonist might be.
“It could be he just gets a kick from seeing the destruction he’s causing. It could be political.
“But it seems like he won’t stop until he gets caught.”
He said his aim was to encourage members of the public to be vigilant.
“To help the process, I am offering a R10 000 reward for information leading to the successful prosecution of this person or group.”
Mayoral committee member John Best said he welcomed the reward offered by Botes.
“We know from our fire-fighting colleagues in Cape Town that with certain fire patterns, nine out of 10 times it’s arson.
“Especially with the last fires in our Seaview area, there was a school of thought that there could be an arsonist around.”
At the moment there was no proof, however, and in the very dry conditions fires could start on their own.
“But if this reward can help produce evidence of arson we will go flat-out to prosecute,” he said.