The uMngeni Local Municipality is taking proactive steps to enhance public safety by re-establishing its own dedicated fire and rescue services. Currently reliant on a single, often inadequate fire engine from the district municipality, the move aims to create a localised uMngeni Fire and Rescue Services. 

As part of the initiative, the old Howick fire station on Dick Street is getting a makeover to become the new base for fire and disaster management, helping protect the community particularly from severe winter fires, according to Mayor Chris Pappas.

Pappas said the old Howick fire station was in a bad condition; however, repairs were underway. 

“What we’ve done is that we have since repaired the roof. So the roof is now repaired, and it is no longer leaking, and work has begun on the interior. So fixing the floors, replastering, repainting, and putting in new ceiling boards.

“That work commenced this week, towards rebuilding and re-establishing what will be known as the uMngeni Fire and Rescue Services,” he said.

Pappas said that currently, the uMngeni Municipality lacked its own fire and rescue service. They rely on the uMgungundlovu District Municipality to provide that service, and they have one fire engine that services the whole area. It is not specialised, it has a small tank, and usually has problems. 

“We are proactively looking forward to say, how we can rebuild and how we can establish uMngeni Fire and Rescue Services.”

Pappas said big part of their plans was to fix the old fire station and covert it into the municipality’s disaster management headquarters .

“Ultimately, this will protect our lives, our livelihoods, and make sure that when it comes to winter, especially, that we’re able to respond to the incredible fires that happene in this area,” he said. 

To address the increasing risk of fires and better safeguard residents, businesses, and the natural surroundings, the municipality implemented a dedicated R15.41 per month fire levy in August last year. 

At the time, Pappas said that for an area covering over 1,500 square kilometres, there was only one fire truck and no specialised capacity for hazardous materials, large-scale structural fires, or complex emergencies. This meant that the district municipality’s ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents was severely limited, putting lives and livelihoods at risk.

Following the devastating 2024 fires that ravaged farmland, plantations, and nature reserves, claiming the lives of several firefighters, Pappas emphasised the need for self-reliance. 

He stressed that relying solely on the district municipality or provincial government will not suffice, as they lacked the specialised firefighting units available in provinces like the Western Cape.

The mayor said the municipality had already started replacing the roof, employing a chief fire officer, and promulgating a fire by-law. 

Pappas outlined plans for a specialised firefighting unit, saying it would improve response to various fires, support rural and agricultural fires, accelerate building plans and business licenses processing via in-house fire certification, aid prevention through education and firebreaks, and provide disaster relief.

“The fire levy ensures that this vital new service can be funded without putting undue pressure on property rates. By keeping it separate from rates, we avoid the risk of above-inflation increases caused by annual rate adjustments or changes in property values. The levy is a fixed, affordable amount that will be invested directly into building and sustaining this essential service,” he said. 

The municipality had engaged extensively with the public on the matter over two years via public meetings, adverts, social media, and written submissions, explaining the levy and its purpose across many forums.

thobeka.ngema@inl.co.za

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