VEREENIGING – The overall decay of fire stations in the Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM) not only endangers the lives of personnel, but also the lives of residents in the municipality.

The DA recently conducted an oversight visit to fire stations in Vereeniging and Vanderbijlpark and was shocked by the conditions of these stations.
Staff complained about buildings with deep cracks in the walls and roofs that are falling apart.
Some parts of the buildings are broken, and according to the DA, the infrastructure does not comply with the Road Traffic Act.

Working conditions are also poor and do not comply with the Labour Relations Act.

The fleet of fire trucks is also in bad condition. One fire engine’s water tank is leaking, and the engine allegedly vibrates when driving faster than 60 km/h – a direct risk to personnel.
The emergency call centre is under-equipped, which hampers the handling of complaints.

According to the DA, this endangers the safety of residents.

The DA says ELM must act urgently, employees need a safe working environment, the call centre must be functional, fire vehicles must be roadworthy, the structural integrity of buildings must be tested, and there must be adequate toilet facilities and a properly equipped waiting room.

“We will continue to fight to ensure that public services work and that the well-being of firefighting staff is protected,” says the DA.