Fire at UKZN law library destroys rare and valuable books
RARE and valuable law books‚ some dating back to early Roman-Dutch time‚ were destroyed in a fire at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s (UKZN) Howard College law library on Tuesday night.Law lecturer Franaaz Khan said on Wednesday that while fire fighters had managed to contain the fire and limit damages‚ the faculty had lost priceless material.She said staff members were not yet sure of the exact extent of the damage‚ but of the books, "many date back to early Roman-Dutch time".Roman-Dutch law has its origins in the Netherlands in the 17th and 18th centuries."Some are rare as well. It is devastating to watch the library in which you spent many hours as a student burn up in flames. Helpless feeling," said Khan.Scores of former law students expressed outrage that the library had been set alight during the protest.DA councillor Nicole Graham posted that "seeing pictures of UKZN’s law library‚ where many of us studied for years‚ gutted by fire is absolutely heartbreaking and infuriating...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.