The wildfire that broke out on the slopes of Table Mountain on Sunday morning has been contained.

Over the next few days firefighters will continue to dampen down the affected areas and monitor for flare-ups until they are one hundred percent sure the fire is out.

Damage assessments will be done as well and  an investigation into the cause of the fire will be conducted.

MEC of Local Government Anton Bredell has acknowledged the City of Cape Town, the Table Mountain National Park, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services as well as the South African National Defence Force for their hard work in bringing the fire under control.

The latest damage reports show a total of 11 structures were damaged or destroyed over the past three days. These include:

2 Houses in the Rosebank area
6 Education buildings on the University of Cape Town campus
2 Heritage buildings including the Mostert’s Mill and UCT Jagger library
1 Restaurant at Rhodes Memorial.

Nine civilians were taken to hospital with breathing challenges after smoke inhalation and six firefighters sustained injuries in the line of duty.

The Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, said: “I have such deep appreciation for the efforts of the City of Cape Town under Mayor Dan Plato, the Table Mountain National Park, Working on Fire and Volunteer Wildfire Services as well as the SANDF who were all supported by the Western Cape Government.”

Premier Winde continued, “I especially want to thank the hard-working men and women who are serving on the frontline, risking their lives to put a stop to the fires. Their efforts have been nothing short of heroic. I also want to thank the many NGOS, private businesses and residents in the province who have generously made donations to support our firefighters’ efforts. It is incredibly heart-warming to see how we have come together as a province and as a City in this time of crisis to save our mountain and heritage sites.”