‘Too early’ to assess claims from city fires
SANTAM, a leading insurer, said yesterday it was too early to assess the value of claims likely to arise from the fires in Cape Town, but their claims team was on standby to assist policyholders.
Devastating fires raging on Table Mountain burnt down several University of Cape Town buildings, including the library and student accommodation, the Rhodes Memorial and its restaurant, and the Mostert Mill historic windmill. An unknown number of vehicles had also been destroyed.
The Western Cape experiences a higher-than-normal fire risk between December and April each year, and exceedingly high temperatures and strong winds can increase the probability of further fire outbreaks.
Santam, South Africa’s leading short-term insurer, says property owners need to stay vigilant and alert.
Fanus Coetzee, the head of claims at Santam, said: “We anticipate claims notifications for fire and smoke damage to reach us from today onwards, and have already alerted some of our service providers who provide cleaning and restoration services to be readily available.
“We are also communicating with our brokers with advice and information they can share with clients to clean their property, where there was a low level of smoke damage, as well as the necessary claims process to be followed for extensive smoke and fire damage.”
Coetzee said the conditions under which the firefighters had to battle the fire had been exacerbated by the hot and dry weather, and since early yesterday morning the south-easterly wind had fuelled the fire in the direction of the City Bowl.
He said 99 percent of all fires were the result of human negligence.
“Fire season is a real and present risk over this time of the year,” he added.
Coetzee said residents could reduce the risk of fire by ensuring their properties were properly maintained and had surge protection and early warning systems, and that all fire regulations were adhered to, including the maintenance of fire equipment, the creation of fire breaks and the installation of sprinkler systems.
UCT Vice-Chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng told media that the buildings that had burnt down had to be assessed.
Referring to the contents of the Jagger Library, Phakeng said it was UCT’s greatest loss, which could not be replaced by insurance.
The extensive damage to the Jagger Library, with its valuable and significant collections of historic archival documents and books, was incalculable, as these could not be replaced.
Cape Town Heritage Trust spokesperson Laura Robinson said although the insurance losses were likely to run into many millions of rand and could not be ascertained at this stage, some government-owned historic buildings, such as the Mostert Mill, would cost a great deal to be restored.
She said the Cape Town Heritage Foundation held funding in trust for the restoration of historic buildings in such situations, where donations could be made.