Mthatha fire rekindles painful memories for Duli family tied to Botha Sigcau building

As investigations continue to determine the cause of the fire that gutted the Botha Sigcau Building in Mthatha, residents have shared the significance the structure held.

For the Duli family, whose father was captured in the building after a failed military coup in 1990, the fire has been particularly triggering.

Lieutenant Colonel Craig Duli, who attempted to overthrow the Transkei government, was captured in the building and killed hours later at a military base.

The family said the building had become part of their lives despite the painful past.

For hundreds of people in Mthatha, the Botha Sigcau Building is a workplace and one of the oldest buildings in town, named after the late Amapondo king, who was also the first ruler of the Transkei government.

But for the Duli family, it is the last memory of their father, Lieutenant Colonel Craig Duli.

He spent his final moments behind its walls before he was killed.

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EWN spoke to his wife, Nontobeko Duli:

“I hardly passed by the Botha Sigcau Building. I would walk far away because it was hard. On 22 November 1990, when I lost my better half, it took me ten full years to recover.”

Meanwhile, her daughter Nolitha said the building was also a crucial landmark.

“Growing up, we used to look up to that building. It is one of the tallest buildings in town, so it was a symbol of growth and development. We are saddened by this.”

Government has yet to announce the cause of the fire as investigations continue.