Rampant veld fires take a life while fire brigades are unwilling and unavailable

Issued by Jóhni Steenkamp – DA Spokesperson on Agriculture in the North West Province
30 Oct 2024 in Press Statements

Note to Broadcasters: Please find attached soundbites in English and Afrikaans by Jóhni Steenkamp.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) in North West will write to the North West Premier, Lazzy Mokgosi, MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), Oageng Molapisi, and MEC of Agriculture, Madoda Sambata, urging their immediate intervention in response to the severe devastation caused by recent veld fires that tragically resulted in the death of local farmer Henk Meyer.

On Friday afternoon, a fire erupted near Botsalano Game Reserve. The farming community worked tirelessly throughout the weekend to save both land and livestock. (See videos here and here, and pictures here and here.) Tragically, during this effort, a local farmer, Henk Meyer, lost his life, and three farmworkers sustained injuries.

The DA extends its gratitude to the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association for their dedicated efforts in deploying a helicopter to assist in fire containment. Despite limited resources, they maximised their capacity to make a significant impact. We recognise that with additional support from the government for fuel and other critical resources, the association could have further amplified its response efforts, ensuring an even greater level of protection for our communities.

Mahikeng Fire Brigade were unwilling to respond, citing that this area (Botsalano) does not fall under their jurisdiction and the other fire brigades’ skid unites were malfunctioning or unavailable.

One fire truck did arrive, but the crew informed the community that they couldn’t enter the rough terrain. Instead, they parked at a crossing, stayed in their air-conditioned cab, and left a few hours later without lifting a finger.

The sheer lack of will to react to these emergencies is testament to the lack of leadership.  We urge the Premier to take those responsible to task.

The extent of this devastation could have been mitigated or even prevented had the local fire brigades been willing and adequately equipped to respond.

The DA as well as other Fire Protection Associations (FPAs), including Agri NW, previously reached out to the MECs and the Premier on multiple occasions to call for urgent action, yet these appeals have gone unanswered. This situation can no longer continue.

In June of this year, the Mahikeng Fire Brigade similarly failed the residents of Aslaagte when a fire destroyed properties, as their trucks were unavailable.

The current ANC-led government appears indifferent to the needs of the residents of this province, leaving them to fend for themselves amidst ongoing disaster and devastation.

In the Western Cape, the DA established a world-class disaster management system, and a new fire station has been constructed as part of our continuous efforts to enhance this network, prioritising the safety of our residents.