Rhodes Memorial Restaurant has burnt down, confirms Table Mountain National Park

WHILE the wildfire had initially gutted part of the Rhodes Memorial Restaurant & Tea Garden, Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) has confirmed that the restaurant has burned down.

Firefighters were still battling to get the Rhodes Memorial wildfire under control on Sunday.

TMNP fire manager Philip Prins said: “We currently have 129 firefighters on the line from TMNP, NCC Wildfires, Working on Fire, City of Cape Town Fire and Rescue Services, and Volunteer Wildfire Services. More firefighting crews will join us shortly.

“TMNP and the City of Cape Town have four helicopters currently operating in the area. There are numerous other water tankers and firefighting vehicles on the scene, managed between TMNP and the City of Cape Town.

Prins added: “It can be confirmed that the Rhodes Memorial Restaurant has, unfortunately, burnt down. The fire has also spread to the veld above the University of Cape Town (UCT) upper campus and to areas below the M3. Roads have been closed and please be vigilant when travelling through these areas.”

UCT tweeted earlier on Sunday that all UCT students have been evacuated from campus by emergency services support staff.

“We have taken them to pre-determined locations. We will continue to work with and support SANParks and the City of Cape Town to extinguish this fire. Please stay safe first & foremost,” it said.

City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services' Maxine Bezuidenhout said that Phillip Kgosana Drive outbound was closed to traffic closed towards the M3.

“The M3 outbound is closed at Hospital Bend, traffic diverted towards the N2,” she said.

“The M3 inbound between Rhodes Drive and Union Avenue is closed to traffic, as well as access roads from Woolsack Drive and Princess Ann Ave into the M3.”