Devastating fire revives at South African parliament

Smoke and flames re-emerged from the upper floors of South Africa's parliament on Monday hours after the blaze was declared under control, as police confirmed they had charged a man with starting the inferno that engulfed the building.

The blaze, which broke out at around 5 am on Sunday, was initially brought under control after a struggle that stretched into the night, with exhausted firefighters leaving the site to the cheers of onlookers and journalists.

But in the late afternoon on Monday, spokesman Jermaine Carelse said the fire had restarted in a part of the Cape Town complex -- the roof of the building housing the National Assembly.

The city's Fire and Rescue Service said on WhatsApp: "The wind has been getting steadily stronger and ignited the smouldering wood inside the roof void space, parts of which are not accessible for dousing or dampening."

Only a dozen firefighters were still deployed from the around 70 who had fought to tame the fire, and some 50 reinforcements were rushed in, using a crane lift to direct their hose.

No casualties have been reported, but the damage is catastrophic.

"The most damage is in the national assembly that won't be used for months," Carelse said.

The blaze began in the wood-panelled older part of the complex -- a section that houses South Africa's first parliament and some of the nation's most cherished artefacts.

It then spread to the neighbouring new assembly, where legislators currently meet.

Parliament spokesman Moloto Mothapo said the roof of the National Assembly had collapsed.

"The entire chamber where the members sit... has burned down."