- Matjhabeng’s rescue services are in tatters
- Only two operational fire trucks, and two bakkies service the entire municipality
- The absence of working fire hydrants exacerbates the problem
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Matjhabeng’s fire and rescue services are in tatters and deficiencies not only hinder the response time to fires, but also put properties, businesses, and the lives of residents in jeopardy.
Matjhabeng currently has two operational fire trucks, and two bakkies and trailers to service the entire municipality from Allanridge to Ventersburg, and everything in between. This encompasses some 500 000 residents.
“Two fire engines, including an aerial platform truck for high-rise buildings, are currently undergoing repairs at our mechanical workshop,” says Tshediso Tlali, municipal spokesperson.
He says the municipality has advertised for 13 firefighter positions, and at the beginning of the year they procured a fire engine worth R5,9 million .
During an oversight visit to the Welkom fire department, Igor Scheurkogel, DA councillor, and his team ascertained that there is only one operational fire engine and the station is often only staffed with two officers on a shift. The phone lines were suspended due to non-payment, leaving residents without a way to contact emergency services.
“The absence of working fire hydrants in residential areas exacerbates the problem. We will request the intervention of the Lejweleputswa District Municipality, as they are authorised under the Municipal Structures Act to coordinate firefighting efforts within the district,” he says.
Susan Taljaard of the Freedom Front Plus (FF Plus) says the current capacity of the fire department falls significantly below the national standards, with inadequate staffing and limited resources.
“These shortcomings compromise the response times to fires and put the lives of our community and businesses at risk. This has been ongoing for years now.
“We have been asking for assistance to help the fire brigade. The municipality must remember they are playing with people’s lives, and money cannot replace this,” she says.
The District Municipality Disaster Management Centre supports the Matjhabeng Local Municipality by ensuring, amongst others, that they have an approved disaster management plan in place.
“In the event of an incident, the district municipality must ensure a comprehensive and effective response, and the pooling of resources and expertise to ensure that the incident is dealt with expediently,” says Khaya Mqeke, Lejweleputswa communications manager.
He adds that while the district tries its best to ensure an optimum level of the delivery of the disaster management function, its efforts are hobbled and negatively affected by budgetary constraints and a lack of resources.
“The ageing and inadequate infrastructure, the poor maintenance thereof, failure to implement risk reduction measures at the local municipality level, the unwillingness to establish capacity for disaster management and to budget for this, and the phenomenon of mushrooming illegal settlements in areas are all factors that cause the proliferation of incidents to rapidly evolve into major incidents or disasters, and make them unmanageable by the primary responders,” says Mqeke.
