WHILE welcoming eThekwini Municipality’s efforts to rebuild the Jacobs fire station, the Clairwood Ratepayers’ and Residents’ Association (CRRA) said the R63.5m project should form part of broader efforts to improve municipal services in the area.

Spokesperson of the CRRA, Ravin Brijlal, said the municipality continues to neglect the broader Clairwood area.

Also read: Massive fire breaks out in Clairwood

“Jacobs and Clairwood face daily safety and infrastructure risks that cannot be solved by one building alone. Since the 2022 floods, residents have been living with deteriorating services while heavy industry, fuel pipelines and illegal businesses operate on their doorstep,” said Brijlal.

CRRA therefore demands that the municipality urgently address the following in Clairwood:

• Storm water drains to be cleaned and fixed.
• Underground water leaks to be repaired.
• Road markings and weight restrictions signage to be installed and enforced.
• Street lights to be fixed.
• All poles to be repaired.
• Illegal and noxious substance businesses to be relocated to designated industrial areas.
• Housing solutions for informal settlements.

“Public safety cannot be addressed in isolation. A new fire station is critical but it must be supported by basic infrastructure that prevents emergencies in the first place. We call on the municipality to provide a clear action plan and timelines for these seven items,” Brijlal added.

Also read: eThekwini intensifies crackdown on illegal connections

The fire station was severely damaged during the April 2022 floods when a nearby canal burst its banks, flooding the facility and leaving it structurally unsafe.

The facility was opened in July 10, 1992 by the former mayor of Durban City Council, Gys Muller.

According to eThekwini Municipality, experts also determined that renovating the facility would not be practical or cost-effective.

The municipality said the new station would meet current operational standards and cater for increased emergency service demands in the growing Jacobs precinct.

The project will be implemented over three financial years and is already at an advanced stage of planning and design.

The Jacobs fire station serves as one of Durban’s busiest industrial corridors, where petrochemical facilities, warehouses, logistics companies and residential neighbourhoods exist side by side.

Clairwood residents have witnessed several factory fires over the years and have repeatedly raised concerns about deteriorating roads, potholes and other failing infrastructure, arguing that these issues also pose safety risks.

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