Councillor says R72 million cut leaves Johannesburg fire stations understaffed and underequipped
Ward 94 councillor David Foley has conducted oversight visits to fire stations in Lonehill, Diepsloot, and Midrand, revealing significant challenges, including non-working telephone lines.
In an effort to assess the efficacy of emergency services in the region, Ward 94 councillor David Foley conducted oversight visits to the Lonehill, Diepsloot, and Midrand fire stations on May 12.
The visits, hosted by the respective fire station commanders, revealed a myriad of challenges hindering the stations’ ability to provide optimal services.
With the winter season already underway, the potential for fires to break out is higher as people try to keep warm, making it crucial that fire stations are adequately equipped to handle any situation.
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According to Foley, the fire stations face significant operational hurdles, including a shortage of fire vehicles to cater to the growing population’s safety needs. He said the limited budget allocated to the fire department had exacerbated this issue, leaving the stations understaffed and underequipped.
Foley also noted during the visit that the fire station buildings were in disrepair, with numerous maintenance challenges.
“The state of the buildings is a concern,” he said. “It’s essential that these issues are addressed to ensure a safe working environment for our firefighters.
Foley added that the budget allocated to buy firefighting vehicles had been cut by about R72m. “I requested these oversights for us as the committee to see what is happening on the ground.”
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Furthermore, the fire stations are struggling with inadequate stock levels of medical supplies, which are crucial for emergency response situations. The lack of resources has left firefighters feeling helpless when they cannot provide the necessary assistance to those in need.
Foley also highlighted the plight of faulty equipment that cannot be repaired due to a lack of resources.
In some instances, telephone lines at the fire stations were found to be non-functional, further compromising the stations’ ability to respond to emergencies effectively.
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He has pledged to compile a comprehensive report detailing the findings of his oversight visits. The report will outline recommendations for addressing the challenges faced by the fire stations and improving the overall quality of emergency services in the region.
“A report will be produced by the researcher/legal staff and presented to the committee [S79 Group Corporate and Shared Services Committee] and then to the council. We are in serious trouble. Over the last 30 years, the ability to effectively serve the city of Joburg from a fire-fighting perspective has deteriorated dramatically through the lack of competent management and lack of budget allocation from the city.”
Xolile Khumalo, the Media Liaison Officer for the Emergency Management Services, acknowledged the receipt of our query and promised to revert with more information.
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