Central SA
Matjhabeng #WaterCrisis, load-shedding rendered fire rescue team helpless─── 12:26 Thu, 10 Feb 2022
A Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Community Safety has reacted to the tragic death of two people at the Welkom-based Matjhabeng Local Municipality, following water cuts by the water utility Sedibeng Water.
MMC Reuben Tlake tells OFM News about the challenge the Fire Rescue Team had to struggle and fight the blaze with the minimal water. He says water-shedding has been an ongoing challenge and unfortunately the incident happened during load-shedding.
Tlake adds that the Fire Brigade had to make use of a van that could only carry 600 litres of water to attend to this emergency, because the Fire Brigade's truck had been broken for weeks. The truck allegedly has been stationary for months.
Meanwhile, the Matjhabeng‘s Fire Station Manager, Freddy Khuse, says they previously had to depend on the Odendaalsrus Fire Station because they were the only station in Matjhabeng with a fully functional fire truck. He says he can confidently confirm that Matjhabeng's fire truck is now working perfectly well.
Tlake said the incident was a wake-up call for them as the new administration in local government, and that the Matjhabeng Fire Station is expecting a new fire truck worth R6 million. He’s hopeful that it will come soon to avoid another such crisis.
OFM News/Ike Mosia
