The celebration of International Firefighters’ Day serves as a global tribute to the courage of those who run toward danger.

However, in the City of Mbombela, (CoM) this year’s commemorations are overshadowed by a deepening crisis of neglect.

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The White River Fire Station stands as a crumbling monument to municipal failure, forcing the very people who protect the community to operate from a facility that is arguably as dangerous as the emergencies they attend to.

The station has reached a critical point.

The ceiling is reportedly in such poor condition that it threatens to collapse, while the flooring has deteriorated to a hazardous state.

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Outside, the grounds are covered by overgrown grass, creating a sense of abandonment.

According to ward councillor Rowan Torr, the decay is the result of a persistent lack of intervention from the municipality, leaving the station to deteriorate while calls for maintenance continue to go unanswered.

“Beyond the structural integrity of their base, the operational capacity of the Fire and Rescue Department is being systematically strangled by a lack of basic resources. In a staggering display of logistical inefficiency, there are currently no utility bakkies or rapid response vehicles available for the four station commanders,” he said.

Torr added that this shortage has created a costly operational reality in which large fire engines are being used for errands.

“Firefighters are forced to deploy these heavy, fuel-intensive trucks to Mbombela simply to fetch equipment, submit documents or transport personnel. This practice compromises public safety by tying up primary response assets in menial tasks. When the alarm sounds, the delay caused by a fire engine being miles away on an administrative run could mean the difference between life and death,” he said.

Celebrating the spirit of firefighting under these conditions feels hollow without accountability.

The municipality’s failure to maintain the station and provide utility vehicles places both rescuers and residents at risk.

In response to Lowvelder’s enquiry, CoM spokesperson Joseph Ngala said: “The City is aware of the challenge of tools of trade affecting all departments. A submission has been made by the the head of this department to the municipal manager and is being considered. Employees must refrain from this practice of giving internal information to the public and stick to internal processes.”