Stock up on hoses because it’s unlikely Jozi will be able to help in a fire

The Johannesburg metro has between four and seven operational fire engines to service the city — and due to ongoing litigation into the procurement of 28 fire trucks, worth more than R172m, is unable to procure more.

The city, which has more than 1,4 million households, 5,5 million people and is spread over 1,645km2, now has to turn to neighbouring metros for assistance, City of Johannesburg spokesperson Mlimandlela Ndamase said.

“The trucks are supported by several other fire emergency response and auxiliary vehicles.”

He said executive mayor Geoff Makhubo last month decried the state of the city’s firefighting capacity and highlighted that Johannesburg required R330m to adequately equip its 30 fire stations and guarantee adequate service levels to residents.

“To add salt to the wound, the city, under the previous administration, paid for fire engines which are yet to be delivered and whose procurement is the subject of ongoing litigation by losing bidders in the previous tender process,” Ndamase added.

A budget of R200m was set aside by the city in the current financial year for the supply, delivery and maintenance of additional fire trucks, he said.

Now everything is on hold pending the outcome of the court case. One of the losing bidders approached the high court in Johannesburg in 2019, asking for the winning contract, worth more than R500m, to be set aside. The losing bidders are arguing that there were tender irregularities in the bidding process.

As an interim measure, Ndamase said the city has in place a memorandum of understanding with Ekurhuleni and Tshwane for support and assistance in cases of major fire emergencies, “where the city’s available resources may be inadequate to respond”.

I'm am trying to rebuild my house, but it is very difficult. I used up my entire savings for the house.

—  Rose Soares

Meanwhile, Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi recently acknowledged in the Gauteng legislature that the province has a huge shortage of ambulances.

Responding to DA questions in the provincial legislature, Mokgethi said the province needed 1,600 ambulances, but had 1,244. Of these, 350 are out of action due to maintenance and repairs. 

“Last year there were 167 reported accidents of emergency ambulances, compared to 79 cases the year before, with 68 disciplinary cases for misconduct and final warning. It cost about R5.5m to repair the accident damage in the past two years,” she said.

Meanwhile, resident Rose Soares is reeling after being heavily affected by the shortage of fire trucks.

Soares, of Snake Park, watched helplessly last year as a house she and her husband built from scratch went up in flames. The newly renovated home, which was to go on market, was gutted because the fire department allegedly took two hours to arrive.

“I’m am trying to rebuild my house, but it is very difficult. I used up my entire savings for the house,”  Soares said.

The delay was apparently caused by the fire department’s struggle for enough water for the emergency and because the area was difficult to locate, she said.

Johannesburg Emergency Management Services spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the area did not have fire hydrants and there was no fire engine designated to service areas specifically.

“The fire engine that was dispatched had been from Eldorado Park and was also meant to service another district.”

Gauteng health spokesperson Motalatale Modiba said, on average, 10 to 15% of vehicles go into workshops for planned and unplanned maintenance, adding that they receive an average of 4,500 calls daily for ambulances.