“You don’t have to be an extraordinary human being. We are just normal people.”
So says Kempton Park Fire Station’s new station manager, Simphiwe Dube (35). For many, however, he is anything but ordinary.
The Edleen resident grew up in the Ekurhuleni township of Daveyton, where he was the second eldest of six children in a struggling family. Their father was unemployed and their mother did sewing work to make ends meet.
“But they were always supportive,” Simphiwe tells Express from behind modern thick-rimmed glasses. “My need to succeed never stopped.”
A framed photo of him at his B Tech graduation proves he did just that.
A friend informed him Benoni Emergency Fire Services were recruiting students, so he started his training in 2002, a year after matriculating.
“Once you have received intensive training you start to love the job. The people who trained us made us see the importance of the job.”
In his span of 17 years in the emergency services industry, Simpiwe has seen both the good and the bad.
“One day a parent gave birth in the back of an ambulance. The baby was born too early. She was so small. We did everything we could but in the end she made it,” he says, smiling at the memory.
“Then there were the guys in Johannesburg who were pushing a car on a highway. A driver hit them by accident with his car and one man died. The injuries I saw there were terrible.”
During the bad times, Simphiwe leans on his family. Against the wall of his office are photos of his wife Veronica (32) and sons Mfanelo (6) and Mvelo(2).
By night, Simphiwe might just be a normal husband and dad but by day he ensures there are enough emergency vehicles on the roads, he mentors and manages his personnel, and he tends to fires if need be.
“It’s easy to switch between the job and being with my family. My boys are also very proud of me.”
And if youngsters Mfanelo and Mvelo say they want to become firefighters too? “I’d say go for it,” he laughs.
“It’s a good job because there are so many opportunities. You can branch into emergency planning, public information regulations, logistics and much more. This is a career where you can grow.”
And no, firefighting is not just for men.
Simphiwe’s superior Wendy Poolo (44), an acting district manager, saw the ad for a fireman in her local newspaper years ago.
“I replied and changed it and said I wanted to be a firewoman, not a fireman,” she laughs. “It’s a nice job but you must have a love for it. If you have a passion for people, it’s the job for you.”
It is certainly the job for Simphiwe, who hopes to one day become the head of his department.
“That’s the only thing I know, fire,” he laughs, before taking Express on a ride in a big red fire truck.
