By Roscoe Palm
Cape Town is teetering on the edge of a potential catastrophe as we approach the fire season. Our Fire and Rescue Services are alarmingly understaffed, under-equipped, and unprepared to face the imminent threats. As the political head who bears the ultimate responsibility for this, the buck must stop with JP Smith, MMC for Safety and Security.
How has he and his directorate allowed this dire situation to develop? The lives of Capetonians and the integrity of our city depend on immediate and decisive action.
JP Smith and others in his thrall are erasing the thin red line of firefighters that keeps disaster at bay. Fire and Rescue Services are incapacitated to the extent that this entire city of 5 million people is on the edge of a disaster on the scale of the Knysna fires of 2017.
An Exodus Ignored: Where Have All the Firefighters Gone?
According to whistleblowers within the Fire and Rescue Services, more than 100 firefighters have left the service for better opportunities or retirement. Some say that this figure is closer to 200.
This significant exodus has left critical gaps in our firefighting capabilities, with little to no effort made to replace these skilled professionals. The loss of experienced personnel not only diminishes our capacity to respond effectively to emergencies but also places additional strain on the remaining firefighters, who are now overextended and stretched to their limits.
This staffing crisis is particularly alarming as Cape Town's summer months bring soaring temperatures and strong prevailing winds—the very conditions that fuel devastating fires. In some stations, we are down to skeleton crews, with resources so limited that only a water tanker or bush tender can be deployed. Next time you drive past your local fire station, look at the bays. Not every vehicle there is “on run”, i.e. geared to be deployed. Some are there for show. This serves to portray the illusion of preparedness. For a city that runs on perception and spin rather than delivery, this is par for the course.
Vehicles like bush tenders are not equipped to fight structural fires, as they lack essential equipment such as breathing apparatus. This means that in the event of a house fire, firefighters may have to wait for assistance from another station before attempting a rescue, potentially costing precious time and lives.
Expensive Equipment Gathering Dust: A Monument to Mismanagement
Not only is Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Department understaffed, it is also under-equipped. Of the four new ladder trucks purchased by the City, each costing around R20 million, only one is operational at any given time. The City lacks both the expertise and the manpower to run all four simultaneously. Meanwhile, three out of four fire engines procured two years ago, each costing R6.5 million, stand unmanned at the training centre. This represents a significant waste of resources and a missed opportunity to bolster our firefighting capacity.
This problem endangers the poor and the wealthy alike. Flames don’t discriminate, and neither should we. Firefighters recently battled one of the season's first major blazes in Malibongwe, Du Noon. Navigating informal settlements requires exceptional skill, experience, teamwork, and bravery. Without adequate support, these firefighters are left to face mounting risks alone. In wealthy suburbs such as Constantia, residents are served only by poorly equipped and undermanned bush tenders. In the event of a fire, they would have to wait for engines from as far away as Goodwood to arrive, while property burns and lives are placed in danger.
Across the four districts in the City of Cape Town, there should be at least one ladder per district. For the CBD to be left without a ladder truck is unacceptable. Should a ladder need to be called in from Goodwood, the half an hour response time could see entire buildings engulfed and lives imperilled
Fires don’t abide by the “one at a time” rule. What happens if multiple major fires break out in disparate parts of the city? Who triages what lives are worth saving, which buildings should be prioritised, which neighbourhoods are of more value? In cases like this and given the City’s track record, almost always it is the poor who will have to take a back seat.
There are also days when zero medical rescue vehicles are operational. These vehicles are crucial for responding to a range of emergencies, including traffic accidents. The lack of available medical rescue units further exacerbates the risk to public safety.
This neglect, led by the City's leadership, places our firefighters in an untenable position. JP Smith is asking fewer firefighters to take on more responsibility, stretching them to the brink.
Why the Secrecy, JP? Accountability Can't Wait
The question we must ask is: How has this situation been allowed to deteriorate to such an extent? It is the responsibility of those in leadership positions to ensure that our city's emergency services are adequately staffed and equipped. The apparent lack of action raises serious concerns about the priorities and management within the department.
Then there is the matter of secrecy. Why have these critical issues been kept hidden from public view for so long? How have these issues not reached the level of the Portfolio Committee on Safety and Security? Transparency and accountability are essential in addressing and resolving such significant challenges. Capetonians deserve to know the state of their emergency services, especially when their safety is at stake.
The City's current approach appears to rely on residents to maintain firebreaks—a solution that is unrealistic in townships where firefighting is already an enormous challenge. This strategy is not only inadequate but also unfair, placing the burden of safety on individuals rather than on the municipality tasked with protecting them.
Perhaps JP Smith’s decompensation from fire and rescue is all about the money. Leap officers and metro police generate an enormous amount of revenue for the City in terms of fines and impoundments. Some of these are unnecessary, some are much needed. Fire and rescue is not a driver of municipal revenue. It saves lives with no compensation. This is a public good, a free service. It is an essential service that should not be subject to any kind of austerity.
Ticking Time Bomb: Act Now Before Disaster Strikes
Immediate steps must be taken to rectify this situation. The City must urgently address these staffing shortages and equipment deficiencies. Recruitment drives to bring in new firefighters should be a top priority. Ensuring that all available equipment is operational and adequately staffed is essential. Leadership roles within stations must be filled by qualified and experienced personnel to maintain efficiency and safety during emergencies.
While Cape Town is rightly proud of extraordinary firefighters like Baigum Abrahams, recently crowned the toughest woman firefighter in the country, they cannot shoulder this burden alone. They need the full support and resources of the City of Cape Town, not more pressure. Without adequate support from the City, these firefighters are left to face mounting risks alone.
We cannot afford to wait until a disaster strikes to realize the gravity of the situation. The looming fire season, exacerbated by climate change, waits for no one. The longer we delay, the greater the risk to lives and property across Cape Town.
As a councillor, I am committed to holding the City accountable. The GOOD Party will conduct oversight visits to every fire station in Cape Town to assess the situation firsthand. We will not stand by while our city is put at risk due to negligence and mismanagement. It is our duty to ensure that the concerns of firefighters and residents are heard and addressed promptly. I don’t want to stand atop a heap of ashes that used to be Cape Town saying “I told you so” to JP Smith. I want our brave men and women in fire and rescue to be capacitated, protected, and motivated.
Capetonians must demand answers and action. Our firefighters are the first line of defence against the devastating impact of fires. They deserve our support, and the residents of Cape Town deserve a Fire and Rescue Service that is fully prepared to protect them.
The City of Cape Town must prioritise the safety of its residents and the well-being of its firefighters. This means investing in personnel, equipment, and training NOW, not later. The fire season is imminent, and the risks are too great to ignore. Let us work together to ensure that our city is not caught unprepared when the next emergency arises.
* Roscoe Palm is a City of Cape Town Councillor for the GOOD Party.
** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.