Ms Sithi Silosini, DA PR councillor, issued a press release on 11 June about an alleged under-resourced fire department in Lekwa.
According to Ms Silosini, the safety of residents remains compromised as the department is unable to respond swiftly to shack fire reports in Morgenzon, Thuthukani, Standerton, Sakhile and surrounding areas.
“Shack fire incidents will be on the rise this season due to people keeping their homes warm with paraffin stoves, primus stoves and wood fires,” she said.
“It is imperative for management to be on high alert.” She also said the local fire department is severely understaffed and not equipped to run two fire stations.
According to her, their problems are long-standing and no plausible plan to rectify it due to a lack of political will.
Fire and rescue services requires a minimum of seven fire engines and 130 personnel, but there is only one operational fire engine and 29 personnel in the municipality.
Other challenges affecting the fire department include the lack of a capital budget for the past seven years with all critical positions vacant and frozen for the past five years.
It is estimated that the department needs an estimated R56-mil to run effectively.
The fleet and equipment are also old and redundant that results in the late arrival at incidents due to un-roadworthy fire trucks.
Ms Silosini said the DA questioned the counsel on this matter late last year and they will be escalating it to the Department of Community and Safety provincially.
“The safety of residents deserves to be protected and the municipality’s fire department needs urgent solutions,” she concluded.
The Standerton Advertiser contacted Mr John Kock, Chief Fire and Disaster Management Officer, on Friday, 14 June to confirm the above figures, but the call went to voicemail.
