Rapid Response for any disaster

LYDENBURG – For the first time in more than five years, Thaba Chweu Municipality (TCM) has a fully functional disaster-management and fire unit.

In April 2011 two toddlers, Angelique (3) and Nico (2) van Niekerk burned to death in a house in Steyn Street because the only operational municipal fire truck had broken down.

The children’s scorched bodies were found embracing each other, hiding behind their bed. TCM has now entered into a six-month contract with private, local Hazmat operation, Rapid Response.

According to the acting chief financial officer at TCM, Mr Gareth Mnisi, the municipality is trying to reinstate its disaster-recovery centre.

“It has been long overdue. We are on course now to get everything going. Most other departments are up and running, not working optimally, but sufficiently to serve the community. The only department that has been neglected is disaster management,” Mnisi said.

TCM has partnered with Mr Deon Broekman of Rapid Response.

“He is doing great work and has been assisting us for a long time without any compensation. We have now entered into a six-month partnership just to test and see if it is going to yield any positive results.

The renewal of the contract should continue until such time that TCM is in a position to obtain its own equipment. It is structured in such a way that he will also be transferring skills to the disaster manager and his staff. We really hope that we get positive results.”

He added that they had tested the market. In order to obtain the necessary equipment and fleet replacement for this department it would cost TCM a whopping R4 million.

“In the meantime we have to ensure that the functioning of the department is not neglected in order to serve the community to a certain degree of efficiency,” he said.

The acting municipal manager of TCM, Mr Lesley Mokwena, said the fire-and-rescue service was part of the municipality’s effort to broaden service delivery with its areas and was long overdue.

“We look forward to improving the services in time and expanding it within all areas in TCM.

“It’s a very important service, given the number of factors and activities like the prolonged dry season which is prone to fires, the informal settlements which are susceptible to fire incidents, and high accident rates on our roads. These collisions are due to the high volume of trucking business in our mining areas and the fact that we have received a lot of tourists in our municipal areas that relies on this fire and disaster services during rescue incidents,” said Mokwena. At the end of the day the towns and areas had to be conducive for proper day-to-day living.

“As a municipality we are ready to respond to any type of disaster that might happen. It should also be an attraction factor for business investment in our municipal areas because we are able to mitigate all identified disaster risks within acceptable response times.”

In case of any emergencies contact Broekman on 079-163-0814 or simply dial 112 from your cellphone and ask to be transferred to Lydenburg’s fire department.