So here is some news that many of us had long suspected – the fires that tore through Cape Town in March were deliberately started.

More accurately, two of the three fires were, according to a new report compiled for the city. Forensic investigator David Klatzow reached the following conclusions, as reported in TimesLive:

[He] said the fire at the top of Pecks Valley, above St James, was “in all probability” accidentally caused by vagrants, religious groups or overnight campers.

But the fires that burned along the slopes of Clovelly and Scarborough Road were “most likely caused by deliberate human agency with the view of starting a large-scale fire”.

Klatzow, by the way, is recognised as one of South Africa’s top forensic scientists and has worked on such high profile cases as the Helderberg crash of 1987 and the Brett Kebble contract killing.

His report directly contradicts a report compiled by SANParks, and Klatzow wasn’t pulling any punches:

On ascending the peak from Boyes Drive on March 19 I observed a shelter of sorts with signs of human habitation. There was a partially burned blanket, together with clear signs of fire-making and smoking material and two lighters.

There is little doubt that the main fire which burned across to Hout Bay had its origin in or near this rock shelter and that its cause was human agency.

The report will be handed over to police next week. Looks like this one may be heating up.

[source:timeslive]