Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Leona Kleynhans and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Ana Motaung. See attached pictures here and here.
Despite repeated fire incidents in Kestell during the past five years, and numerous pleas for a proper fire service in the town, another recent fire disaster, during which the popular My Little Africa resort burnt to the ground, has again highlighted how the ANC-run Maluti-a-Phofung Municipality fails to protect its residents from fire and other disasters.
Four bakkies with water tanks arrived on the scene after the main buildings had already been destroyed. This only happened after DA councillors found a responsible official who answered his phone.
Under the South African National Standards guidelines, based on population size, Maluti-a- Phofung should have 8 fully operational fire engines. Instead, it has one fire truck and four bakkie-mounted water tanks with a narrow-gauge hosepipe.
This is to serve a population of about 500 000. Two fire engines should be stationed in Harrismith, but none are. One fire engine should be stationed in Kestell, but none is. While the QwaQwa area needs five fire engines, it has one (when not attached by the Sheriff of the Court).
Under the Disaster Management Act, the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality should have a full Disaster Management Centre, but it has only one fire officer with a phone. The National Department of Environmental Affairs donated some fire vehicles, but these are all stationed in Dihlabeng.
A crew of Working on Fire is stationed in QwaQwa, but they do not work outside office hours because of budget constraints and are equipped only to deal with veld fires.
Both Maluti-a-Phofung and Thabo Mofutsanyana municipalities have spectacularly failed to protect their citizens from fire and disaster, as required by the Constitution and the law. Increasingly, residents must turn to local farmers and fire associations to rescue them in case of fires.
If people want proper disaster management and fire services, they will have to vote for it on 4 November. The DA has proved, through State-of-the-Art Disaster Management Centres where we govern, that we take residents’ safety very seriously.
This outrageous failure by elected councils to ensure proper services, including fire and disaster services, can no longer be tolerated.
If the DA governs your town, this is our plan to protect progress and build on solid foundations. If the DA is yet to govern your town, this is the plan to fix what is broken and prove that your town can work.