Pretoria - The R62 million Mamelodi fire station that was once a white elephant is finally operational and reacted to 19 emergencies in September alone.
The fire station caused a lot of frustration and disappointed to many community members and leaders, as it remained non-operational after it was unveiled my executive mayor Randall Williams in October last year.
Residents said it didn’t make sense that informal settlements like Alaska in Mamelodi were losing shacks and people were suffering injuries due to fires and other emergencies while the facility remained empty, with just security guards watching over the property.
Spokesperson for Tshwane Emergency Services, Ronald Hendricks, explained that the city couldn’t use the new multimillion-rand fire station without an occupancy certificate. This could only be issued after construction compliance matters were attended to.
The provincial government also needed to confirm the facility was safe and ready for use.
This week MMC for Community Safety Grandi Theunissen said he was proud to report that both the Mamelodi and Mabopane fire stations were fully operational and now able to serve their respective communities.
“Mamelodi fire station has been fully operational since September 6. The station is manned by 27 firefighters, three company commanders, and six emergency medical care technicians who operate in three shifts.
“Four emergency vehicles are used by the station – an engine pumper, a water tanker, a response vehicle, and a rapid intervention vehicle.”
The station attended to emergency incidents including six veld fires, four house fires, three outbuilding fires, two building fires, one lamp-pole fire, and three shack fires.
“The station has also on occasion responded as a back-up station to Rayton, Bronkhorstspruit, Silverton, and Erasmuskloof fire stations.”
The Mabopane fire station is also operational despite an electrical fault challenge, and is using a generator.
Pretoria News