The City of Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, officially launched the Katlehong Fire Station on June 19 after six years of delays.

The ceremony was attended by media houses, residents and city officials, who gathered to witness the long-awaited opening of the facility.

Xhakaza said the launch marked a special day for the city and the Katlehong community, especially considering that the project had been ongoing for the past six years.

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He said the completion of the fire station was a major milestone after years of navigating several challenges, including the Covid-19 pandemic, contractual issues and difficult soil conditions in the area.

The mayor explained that the area is mainly dolomitic, which contributed to some of the delays and technical challenges experienced during the project.

Despite these setbacks, Xhakaza said the official opening of the Katlehong Fire Station was a moment worth celebrating, as the facility would bring essential emergency services closer to residents.

The launch signalled a new chapter for Katlehong and surrounding communities, who will now have improved access to fire and emergency services.

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Xhakaza said that this intervention must be seen as a deliberate move by this administration to bring critical basic services closer to the people.

“We are fixing local government, and it all starts with such programmes. Our people are tired of speech and just need tangible service delivery. Let us continue to talk less and do more.

“The construction of the new Katlehong Fire Station resumed on March 23, 2020, as part of the CoE’s programme to strengthen emergency response services and improve public safety infrastructure.

“Due to the national Covid-19 lockdown regulations, physical construction activities only commenced on July 14, 2020.

“The project was approved as a multi-year capital project and was initially scheduled for completion by the end of June 2023.

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“However, several factors contributed to delays in the implementation of the project, including the impact of the pandemic and associated lockdown restrictions, force majeure events that affected project execution, the expiry of the city’s panel of service providers which affected procurement processes, delays in the processing of payments to contractors and service providers, and administrative and stakeholder-related challenges that affected project progress.

“As a result, the revised completion date for the project was June 30, 2025. The total expenditure incurred on the Katlehong Fire Station is approximately R85m, inclusive of construction works, professional services, infrastructure installations, and associated project costs.

“The project has delivered meaningful socio-economic benefits to the local community. During the construction phase, approximately 55 unskilled and semi-skilled workers from the local area were employed.

“In addition, ten local small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) were afforded opportunities to participate in various aspects of the project, including electrical works, civil engineering works, general construction services, and security services.

“These opportunities contributed to local economic development and skills transfer within the community,” said Xhakaza.

Currently, personnel to be based in the fire station are those who were based in the Hlahatsi Fire Station, which was a rented property belonging to a private entity.

The crews operated from Thokoza Fire Station after the unsuccessful engagement with the property owner.

In terms of new appointments, the city is responsible for the residents and as and when appointments are available, everyone within the city is given a fair chance.

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“Within the staff employed and placed in the existing fire stations, some are from Katlehong; hence, a fair chance is given to every qualifying resident of the CoE. It is important to note that the operational preparedness of the fire brigade isn’t based on wards but areas of responsibility.

“Objectively, the aim is to cover the entire city within the shortest available time frame possible; hence the fire stations are constructed strategically and in accordance with risk assessment to minimise the response times.

“Mainstream operations are the preservation of lives and protection of properties.

“The crews are responsible and expected to perform and extinguish structural fires such as businesses, formal residential homes, and informal residential homes,” said Xhakaza.

He added that they also assist with motor vehicle accidents and hazmat incidents as well as swift water rescues, confined space rescues, structural collapse rescues and trench rescues.

He said that in terms of other responsibilities is public awareness training. This involves engaging different community organisations on preventative life-threatening strategies objectively to build resiliency.

“This responsibility is a specialised one conducted by qualified National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1035) instructors, which is an international organisation recognised globally. As the city, we also appeal to the community of Katlehong to look after this amenity in order to guarantee their safety and that of those around them,” said Xhakaza.

Theo Maseko, the project CLO, welcomed the opening of the fire station and applauded the city’s leadership for ensuring the project was completed.

Maseko said residents of Katlehong had waited a long time for the facility, adding that the new fire station would bring much-needed emergency services closer to the community.

“As residents of Katlehong, we have been waiting for this project to be completed because we needed these services and opportunities closer to us,” said Maseko.

“Before this station, we relied on Hlahatsi and Thokoza fire stations. This new station is centrally located, which means areas that were previously far from emergency services will now be able to receive assistance from here.”

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He praised the final contractor for honouring the commitment to finish the work.

“The municipality had challenges delaying the completion, but the last contractor vowed to complete it, and indeed he did,” said Maseko.

Maseko added that the fire station would not only improve emergency response times, but also serve as an educational facility for the community.

He said residents would be able to learn basic firefighting skills, while schools would also be invited to visit the station and learn more about fire safety and firefighting as a profession.

DEMS spokesperson William Ntladi led a demonstration on the safe use of LP Gas, highlighting the importance of proper handling and regular safety checks.

Ntladi advised the public to ensure that their LP Gas appliances are manufactured in accordance with the safety standards set by the South African Bureau of Standards.

He said homeowners should regularly inspect their appliances for signs of deterioration in performance, corrosion and minor leaks.

He also emphasised that areas where LP Gas appliances are used should always be well ventilated.

Ntladi warned that cylinders, regulators and connections should not be detached while an LP Gas appliance is in use.

He also urged residents not to leave appliances unattended while in use.

“The gas supply must be turned off at the cylinder after use and while the appliance is unattended. When purchasing or refilling LP Gas cylinders, consumers were advised to ensure that they buy legally filled cylinders.

Ntladi said residents exchanging empty cylinders for filled ones should check that the replacement cylinder has been legally and safely filled by making sure there is a shrink-wrap seal covering the cylinder valve.