Fire! One, if not the greatest, fears of home and business owners. In the space of a week, the devastating fire that engulfed iconic restaurant Flavours, causing not only great loss and sadness to its owner but to the community was the first.
I read in your newspaper last week of the scandalous fact that Ray Nkonyeni does not have a working big fire truck and the 6000 litre water tanker is out of commission.
Also, in the last week, Friday in fact, I was driving towards Margate on Wingate Road and opposite the entrance to Sebenza Nursery, a home was on fire.
The house was already pretty much engulfed in flames and, as I approached, a small fire truck pulled up from the opposite direction.
I don’t know how much use this was as I didn’t stop to be a useless onlooker.
This brought home to me what terrible losses these owners must have suffered and the uselessness of our fire protection services.
I suggest that everyone checks their insurance and ensures that you are adequately insured.
Remember to insure for replacement value and not just current value of possessions and buildings as you will not be adequately compensated if you lose everything.
We’re on our own folks and, sadly, should not expect help from the local authorities. Is there at least definitely a new functional large fire truck in the upcoming budget? I hope so.
JOAN D’ARCY
Shelly Beach
RESPONSE
One can indicate that a bigger truck is on repairs and not decommissioned, but above that the municipality is in the plans of acquiring a new one.
It should also be stated that whilst the bigger truck is being repaired, and a need for a backup arises, Ugu District Municipality is roped in, and it does assist.
All in all, one can safely say that the state of our fire, rescue and disaster services is not that of a uselessness one or of a crisis as it does accordingly attend to what it has to attend to.
SIMON M. APRIL
Ray Nkonyeni Municipality spokesman
HAVE YOUR SAY
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