SIX months after eMadlanzini iKati Primary School administration building went up in flames, leaving pupils with no stationery, three suspected perpetrators appeared at the Richards Bay Regional Magistrate’s Court last Wednesday.
Thabisile Ntombela, Thamsanqa Msomi and Nkosinathi Nene were nabbed in April for allegedly setting the school property on fire and charged with arson of an immovable structure.
Ntombela was working at the school at the time of the incident and is suspected to be the mastermind behind the fire.
In January, Richards Bay fire and rescue responded to a call from a security company at 2am.
Fire fighters managed to save most of 2014 text books and some office equipment from the blazing fire, but all other stationery, including exercise books, were burnt to ashes.
Police recovered two containers filled with petrol close to the building. It was believed they were used to start the fire.
The Department of Public Works has estimated the damage caused by the fire to be about R470 000.
According to the state prosecutor and the defense attorney, all three suspects will reappear in court for a pre-trial on 27 August and on 16 September for trial.
