Managing director Hendrik de Jongh said that the cost of the damage could run into “several millions of rands” and that the severity of the fire was the worst in around two decades.
“These devastating fires have been the worst since the 80s,” said Mr de Jongh. “The last time we experienced anything close to this was during the runaway fire storm that occurred in August 2003 in Mpumalanga, when [we] lost 2,700ha of timber.”
Investigators are still trying to establish the cause of the fire, which is believed to have started at 11am on June 25, but it is known it took hold on a property neighbouring Sappi‘s Shafton plantation.
