Disaster investigator Richard Wilson revealed on Monday evening that the damage caused when the storeroom of Thohoyandou Shoprite was destroyed by fire a fortnight ago is more than R10 million.

Wilson said investigations are still continuing to find the cause of fire, and the shop has been closed for a while. “Plans to reconstruct the roof are underway, as the old one has collapsed,” he said.

Limpopo Economic Development Enterprise (Limdev) chairperson Mr Stan Mathabathe said his company is ready to give a new building that can be utilized as a storeroom.

The spokesperson of Vhembe District Municipality, Mr Alex Nemakonde, denied the allegations that the municipality’s fire brigade did not have enough resources. Nemakonde said fire extinguishers are always ready and there was a lot of water in town.

Mayor Thivhulawi Makumabane said if the fire had been caused by electricity, Eskom had to be responsible.

The cause of fire is not yet known.