Firefighters make West Rand proud

The West Rand Municipality Emergency Services’ n’Zuri team returned from the Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) competition with some impressive results.

The competition took place at De Bakke Beach in Mossel Bay from October 5 to 7. TFA-SA is based on the international Toughest Firefighter Alive Challenge, which falls under the umbrella event of the World Firefighter Games (WFG). The WFG started in Auckland, New Zealand 1990 and is held in a different country every two years with the winner of the TFA Competition at the WFG being crowned the World’s Toughest Firefighter Alive, a very prestigious award for people who work for emergency services in the world.

The TFA is South Africa’s premier firefighter event which was held for the first time at the Good Hope Centre in Cape Town during October 2011. A total of 80 participants competed for top honours against many brave and dedicated firefighters. The event has been primarily hosted in Cape Town followed by George in 2016 and now Mossel Bay in 2023.

The local firefighters achieved the following:

• Both Men and Women’s teams took the team trophy
• Gold for the Women’s relay team
• Silver for the Men’s relay team

The competition also saw Maithamako Mosweto, one of the members of the ‘nZuri team, win the Best Female and Best Newcomer accolades. In addition, she was crowned the TFA women’s champion for 2023. In total, the team won seven gold, two silver, and two bronze medals.

Friends of Emergency Services, who are a local NGO based in Krugersdorp, praised the team for their remarkable accomplishments and said that they played a big role in assisting the team which included covering costs for the competition.

“Our achievements have not only brought glory to your team and West Rand District but have also inspired countless others to push their limits and strive for greatness.

“We salute your courage, strength, and resilience, which you have demonstrated in the face of adversity. You are true heroes, and your victory in Mossel Bay is a testament to your dedication and unwavering spirit,” said co-founder of Friends Of Emergency Services, Dale Mac Rae.

“This is a moment to celebrate, and we look forward to seeing all the great things that West Rand District Team nZuri will achieve in the future. Your triumph is an inspiration to us all, and we are immensely proud of your accomplishments. Once again, congratulations on your remarkable success, and may your journey ahead be filled with even more achievements and victories.”