Firefighters finally leave South Africa Parliament complex

By GERALD IMRAY
Associated Press

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Firefighters have left South Africa’s Parliament complex four days after a major blaze destroyed the main chamber of the country’s national legislature. Authorities said Thursday that a South African police unit that deals with serious or high-profile crimes has assumed control of the Cape Town complex. A man suspected of starting Sunday’s fire has appeared in court on charges of housebreaking, theft, arson and contravention of a South African security law that restricts access to government buildings. Authorities declined to speculate on the man’s possible motives and have said it’s too early to say if the fire was an intentional attack on the seat of South Africa’s democracy.