The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the North West wants the South African Police Service ( SAPS) to investigate fires that gutted critical infrastructure in the province.
The DA claimed the motive of these fires could be economic sabotage.
The party spokesperson on community safety and transport management, Freddy Sonakile, said they have written to the provincial commissioner of police in the North West, Lieutenant General Sello Kwena, requesting that he establish a task team to investigate ongoing fires targeting critical infrastructure in the province.
Sonakile said the request followed an earlier view by the DA that the ongoing fires in the province indicate possible signs of economic sabotage.
A fire gutted the Pilanesberg Airport last month.
The North West provincial executive council (Exco), at its meeting in Klerksdorp in August, said the Pilanesberg Airport burnt to ashes at a time when some Chinese investors had shown interest in investing in the airport to revamp.
On Saturday, a fire gutted the Manyane Resort, and another fire broke out at the Cabanas Hotel in Sun City.
Several chalets burnt down at Manyane, which is closer to Sun City and the Pilanesberg Airport.
The fire at the Cabanas reportedly started in the kitchen.
Food and beverage staff noticed a small fire, which they put out, but it had already spread through the extraction ventilation to the reception area and offices.
The firefighters managed to contain the fire; no injuries were reported.
"The DA expects the task team to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the fires throughout the province and make specific reference to the Mmabatho Palms, Pilanesberg Airport, Christiana Clinic, the Manyane Resort, and the offices of the department of social development," Sonakile said.
"The Manyane Resort fire strengthens our suspicion of economic sabotage."
He said the police task team must investigate each of these fires and produce a comprehensive report.
"Individuals identified, either through negligence or deliberate economic sabotage, must be charged and prosecuted."
IOL News