Tshwane Emergency Services Department suffers loss of rescue technician

The passing of a leading firefighter has left the Tshwane Emergency Services Department and his family, shattered.

The department has continued to send tributes for the 38-year-old David Matabane who passed away last week Friday, after a short illness.

His supervisor, acting district commander Sonia Mahasha described Matabane as a leading firefighter who embarked on his journey at the department in 2013, stationed at Innesdale fire station in Gezina.

“He was a humble, highly disciplined, and committed fire fighter,” Mahasha said.

“He wore his uniform with pride and was always neat. He was good at conducting in-house training with his fellow colleagues and had the passion and evolved into being a great firefighter, brother, friend and colleague.”

Since starting as an enthusiastic junior firefighter, Mahasha said Matabane became a leading fire fighter and a specialist technician rescuer in Tshwane central fire station.

“He performed well in hazmat incidents, rope rescue and firefighting incidents. He was consistent in keeping himself physically fit and had a well-built muscle tone which was of a benefit in giving him strength during firefighting and rescue operations,” Matabane said.

“Our hearts are broken by the passing of our brother the late leading fire fighter Matabane. Station 1 (Bosman) shift 1 will no longer be the same without him. His passing will leave a huge void in our shift.

“We will miss his specialties, his smile, his sense of humour and his passion.”

A colleague and close friend Livhuwani Mulaudzi said the news of Matabane’s passing were heartbreaking.

“I wish I was standing in front of people talking about David at his wedding instead of his funeral,” he said.

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“I met David in 2012, when I started reserving at central fire station, he was a friendly and humble person who didn’t like to talk loudly.”

Mulaudzi said when both were employed permanently, they were placed at different stations but reunited after two years.

“I was placed in central fire station and in 2015, David came back at central station and our friendship became even stronger. I remember the day I received my Covid-19 results which were positive I sent them to him. He called me and he said ‘Ngwana I trust you, you are fit and strong and you will defeat Covid-19’ and he also told me not to forget to pray.”

Mulaudzi said he confided and received advice from Matabane on work and personal issues.

“I feel heartbroken because the last time I saw him he was happy and had no sign of sickness.

“I remember our last conversation on July 1, which was our last night shift. He said to me jokingly: ‘Ngwana these days I carry lunch box I’m no longer buying takeaways because from now, my wife will be preparing a lunch box for me’. Ngwana you’re gone from our sight but never from our hearts,” Mulaudzi said.

Department spokesperson Charles Mabaso said Matabane was appointed in the department the same year he became an assistant chief in the department’s special task force.

Mabaso described Matabane as a soft spoken and disciplined person.

“He, together with a group of few young newly appointed fire fighters were immediately placed at the STF to complement our technical team with young firefighters,” he said.

“His physical strength came in handy when the team had to do breaking and breaching of walls during rapid intervention training. I’m proud to have mentored a rescue technician David had become very early in his career.

“At some stage of his career, he made a request to be placed at station 1 (Bosman fire station) giving the reasons that he wanted to get more exposure to structural firefighting because of the volume and types of fires station 1 responds to. He really had passion for his career and his willingness to grow as a firefighter is hard to come by lately,” Mabaso said.

“He will be greatly missed by both his peers and management. ”

Matabane will be laid to rest Thursday at 07:00, in Atteridgeville in the west of Pretoria.

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