Firefighting crews and helicopters were dispatched to Simon’s Town to bring a new fire under control on Monday morning. Residents in the area contacted fire services when they saw smoke bellowing from the Red Hill area at 6am on 3 May .
NCC Wildfires said in a post on Facebook that SANParks and NCC Environmental Services dispatched crews to the fire to bring it under control. The fire is raging in the mountains just above the town, near the waterfall.
One Simon’s Town resident said she noticed the fire at 6.15am, and choppers were on the scene quickly to help put out the flames.
ALSO READ: Man arrested for Table Mountain fire no longer faces arson charges
Friends of Table Mountain Facebook Group said: Table Mountain National Park have requested aerial support and two Oryx helicopters were on their way to assist.
A fire that raged on Table Mountain two weeks ago razed more than 650 hectares of land and left seven buildings in ruin, including the Jagger Library at the University of Cape Town. Residents had to be evacuated for their safety and a clean up operation is ongoing.
Frederick Mhangazo (35), who was arrested in connection with starting the fire, will no longer face charges of arson. He appeared in the Cape Town Magistrates Court on Wednesday, 28 April but the case was postponed for the defence to get more witnesses.
Mhangazo was arrested in the vicinity of Devil’s Peak on Sunday 19 April, hours after a devastating fire started on Table Mountain.
Mhangazo’s lawyer, Shaun Balram, told the court that his new fixed address is at Our House, a safe haven for homeless people. He will be living here until his trial is concluded.
“We had quite a long discussion with the state, and we’re thankful that we were able to convince the state to no longer proceed with the charges of arson,” Balram said.
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