Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts has refuted claims that firefighting vehicles procured by the department are sitting idle in depots across the country instead of being deployed for active service.
On Monday, the Deputy Minister visited the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality’s Fire Station in Centurion to inspect the firefighting vehicles stored there by the department.
According to a statement issued by the department, the vehicles were procured for use by a service provider in the implementation of the Working on Fire Programme. However, the Auditor-General of South Africa (AGSA) found that service providers were expected to use their own resources to execute bid-related objectives under the current five-year contract, which commenced on 6 January 2023.
Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is among the municipalities earmarked to receive these firefighting vehicles once the transfer process is finalised.
The Deputy Minister’s visit follows media reports alleging that the vehicles are being left unused instead of being deployed for firefighting efforts.
Additionally, there were claims that no DFFE firefighting vehicles were parked at the Tshwane Fire Station and that some vehicles stored at other municipal fire stations had been stripped of key components, such as batteries.
“The purpose of my visit to Tshwane Fire Station in Centurion was to verify the presence and condition of our firefighting vehicles. I can confirm that nine firefighting vehicles are parked here and that they have not been vandalised, contrary to some reports,” the Deputy Minister said.
She further dismissed claims that the vehicles had been unused for more than two years.
“These vehicles arrived at Tshwane Fire Station in November 2024. Any suggestion that they have been sitting idle for two years is incorrect,” she clarified.
The Deputy Minister acknowledged the challenges faced by Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) due to the repossession of vehicles from the service provider, Kishugu. She reassured FPAs and forestry stakeholders that the department was working to expedite the transfer of the vehicles to municipalities.
“I recognise the challenges that Fire Protection Associations have faced due to this transition. I, however, commit to ensuring that the process to transfer these firefighting vehicles to the respective municipalities is expedited so that these vehicles can go back to work and assist FPAs to attend to veld fire incidents in our communities.
“Having said that, we must also afford municipalities the opportunity to follow their internal processes – including coming up with Council resolutions - regarding the transfer of these firefighting vehicles,” Swarts added.
In total, DFFE has reclaimed 283 firefighting vehicles from Kishugu. Of these, 107 are earmarked to be transferred to various municipalities in the country.
The remaining 176 vehicles are used by the department’s internal forestry branch to manage fires in DFFE plantations across the country. – SAnews.gov.za
