10 September 2024
A total of 36 cars were destroyed during a fire in the government garage in Qwaqwa. Photo: Tladi Moloi
Dozens of cars which had been impounded as a result of traffic violations were destroyed in a fire at the government garage in Qwaqwa in the Free State at the weekend, leaving their owners in shock.
Thirty-six vehicles were destroyed in the fire at the Free State government garage in Mandela Park, Qwaqwa on Saturday, according to Hillary Mophethe, director of corporate communications at the Free State Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport.
“For now, the cause of the fire is not known. It, however, started outside the premises. A case has been opened and the matter is under investigation,” she said.
The vehicles had been impounded for various traffic violations by the provincial department and kept at the government garage.
When GroundUp arrived, people were watching horrified while their cars burned. Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality’s fire fighters extinguished the fire but most of the cars in the pound were destroyed.
Some of the owners whose cars were not burning tried to get into the pound to take their cars out, but fire fighters denied them access. Some had come with money to pay their fines.
Moeting Ntleru, vice secretary at taxi association, Pan African Transport Corporation, called on the government to compensate those whose cars were burned. He said people were charged a daily storage rate while their cars were impounded and that the government should take responsibility. He said fines could be as high as R10,000.
“Some people end up giving up on their car because that money, plus a daily storage charge, is not affordable,” he said.
Mophethe did not answer questions about the fines. She said cars could be impounded for several reasons including traffic violations such as drunk driving, illegal parking or outstanding traffic fines, or when the vehicle was deemed unsafe to drive.
Captain Loraine Earle, spokesperson for Free State Police, said police were investigating.