Tefla Group awarded Working on Fire contract but Kishugu Group reaches interim agreement on 31 July to keep aerial fleet training running.
A helicopter fights a wildfire in Simon’s Town. Aerial firefighting and wildfire management require highly specialised technical expertise. Picture: Gallo Images
Despite concerns about firefighting company Tefla Group’s apparent lack of skills and equipment, the Kishugu Group has reached an agreement with the group, which has been awarded a more than R1.8 billion Working on Fire contract, to keep key operations running.
Kishugu Group, which has run the country’s largest veld fire-fighting programme for over two decades, but lost the bid to Tefla, said it reached an interim agreement on 31 July to ensure continuity during the transition.
Tefla Group awarded Working on Fire contract
According to a communique, which The Citizen has seen, Kishugu Aviation will continue providing aerial firefighting services, Kishugu Fleet Solutions will provide the ground fleet, Kishugu Training will continue with training, while Working on Fire, a Kishugu Group company, will retain the programme management under Tefla’s management of the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment contract.
“We are also working towards concluding a long-term agreement with Tefla to provide these services for the remainder of the department contract period, covering 1 September, through to 5 January 2028,” the memo stated.
Kishugu also reassured the parties that this development had no impact on any of their existing contractual commitments with clients outside of the department’s contract and that all such agreements continue as normal.
The department, however, said it was not aware of a subcontracting agreement between Tefla and Kishugu.
But it did say Tefla’s bid had been submitted with an intention to subcontract to designated groups, as required by the advertised terms of reference.
However, it did not identify Kishugu as a subcontractor or explain whether the current interim arrangement was contemplated when Tefla submitted its bid.
AfriForum pursues procurement records
Civil rights organisation AfriForum is pursuing access to procurement records to establish how the successful bidder was evaluated, with concerns that Tefla appeared to lack the specialist expertise, personnel, equipment and operational capacity to implement one of government’s most critical wildfire-fighting drives.
According to the organisation, aerial firefighting and wildfire management require highly specialised technical expertise, aviation resources and operational infrastructure that, based on its assessment at the time, Tefla did not appear to possess.
There were also claims that the bulk of the aerial firefighting component, allegedly valued at R650 million a year, will be carried out by Kishugu Aviation.
Kishugu has insisted that Tefla Group was awarded the tender to implement the Working on Fire Programme, effective 1 August.
Linton Rensburg, Kishugu Aviation spokesperson, reiterated they were not in a position to comment on the merits of the tender award to Tefla.
He referred any questions relating to the adjudication process to the department of forestry, fisheries and the environment.
Kishugu Aviation ready to assist department and Tefla
“Our priority has always been to ensure SA’s wildfire response capacity and the safety of communities, firefighters and the natural environment, particularly in the context of the projected ‘super El Nino’ and its anticipated impact on wildland fire conditions,” he said.
Rensburg added that since 2003, the Working on Fire/ Kishugu joint venture successfully delivered integrated fire management services nationwide and on the international stage.
It is ready to assist the department and Tefla to ensure the continuity of the Working on Fire programme during this transition period, Rensburg said.
Neither Tefla, nor the department had responded to questions by the time of publishing.
