Lydenburgers question lack of disaster management
The firefighting bakkie's equipment apparently malfunctioned and it could not be dispatched.
The Thaba Chweu Local Municipality (TCLM) is facing heavy criticism following a veld fire at the Mosterthoek Smallholdings on Friday, November 1, which once again exposed the lack of an operational disaster management department.
It has been five years since the TCLM last had a functioning disaster management unit, leaving the community without adequate resources to handle emergencies like fires, floods and other natural disasters.
The incident has sparked public outrage, as local authorities appear unprepared to respond to crises that threaten residents and properties.
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When DA councillor Marius Opperman attempted to call for emergency assistance to help extinguish the blaze, he was informed that the firefighting equipment of TCLM’s only firefighting bakkie was faulty and that it could not be dispatched.
Although no one was injured and local farmers eventually extinguished the fire the same day, there were fears that it could have reached nearby homes on the smallholdings.
“The operator at Disaster Management said the equipment was broken. I have been begging Ehlanzeni District Municipality for three years to help us get emergency services, because it is actually their duty to provide them. Even their mayor brushes off my requests. A small bakkie sandbag can’t put out a big fire, it is impossible,” Opperman said.
He supplied the newspaper with three years’ correspondence on the matter. Little or no response had been received from the TCLM or the Ehlanzeni District Municipality.
The TCLM’s Disaster Management Department was last functional under a contractor whose contract ended three years ago. Since then, the municipality has made no visible efforts to reinstate emergency services, despite mounting community concerns.
Currently, the TCLM lacks the equipment, personnel and strategic resources necessary to address any natural disasters or emergency situations.
Opperman expressed frustration with the municipality’s apparent disregard for residents’ safety. “It is deeply concerning that a municipality as large as Thaba Chweu lacks any form of disaster management. The response to this fire could have been catastrophic had it spread further,” he said.
Local residents are now calling on the TCLM to address the gap in emergency response capabilities. Community members, fearful of future emergencies without adequate support, are demanding answers from the municipality, asking why basic safety infrastructure has been neglected for so long.
As pressures mount, the TCLM has yet to issue a formal response regarding its plans to restore disaster management or provide a timeline for the re-establishment of emergency services in the area.
