Building a Firewall: uMngeni’s Fight for Independence from a Single Fire Engine

For the communities of uMngeni, the sound of a siren has long carried a note of anxiety. Relief that help is coming is tempered by a grim reality: for over 1,500 square kilometres, from Howick to the surrounding farmlands, that help has come from just one, often unreliable, fire engine owned by the district municipality. That vulnerability is now sparking a quiet revolution in emergency response.

Mayor Chris Pappas has officially launched the move to establish the uMngeni Municipality’s own, dedicated Fire and Rescue Servicea bid to reclaim control over community safety. The heart of this new service will beat from a revitalised building on Dick Street in Howick: the old, dilapidated fire station, now undergoing a comprehensive rebirth.

From Leaking Roof to Lifeline

“The station was in a bad condition, but we’ve repaired the roof. It is no longer leaking,” said Pappas, detailing the ongoing transformation. Work has moved inside to fix floors, replaster walls, and install new ceilings, converting the structure into a dual-purpose disaster management headquarters and fire station.

This physical renovation symbolises a broader shift. Currently, the municipality is entirely dependent on the uMgungundlovu District Municipality for fire servicesa partnership that has proven critically inadequate. The district’s single appliance is not specialised, has a small water tank, and is frequently plagued by operational issues, leaving the area exposed.

The Catalysts: Tragedy and a Mandate for Change

The push for self-reliance was tragically underscored by the devastating 2024 fires that swept through plantations and farmland, claiming the lives of several firefighters. That disaster exposed a stark truth: waiting for overstretched district or provincial resources could cost lives and livelihoods.

“We are proactively looking at how we can rebuild,” Pappas stated, emphasising that reliance on higher tiers of government was no longer a viable safety plan.

Funding the Future: The R15.41 Fire Levy

To turn plans into reality, the municipality introduced a dedicated fire levy of R15.41 per month in August last year. After two years of public consultations via meetings, social media, and submissions, the levy was implemented as a fixed charge separate from property rates.

“The levy ensures this vital service can be funded without putting undue pressure on property rates,” Pappas explained. “It is a fixed, affordable amount invested directly into building and sustaining this essential service.”

A Vision Beyond Firefighting

The ambition extends beyond putting out flames. The new uMngeni Fire and Rescue Services is envisioned as a specialised unit that will:

• Improve response times and capability for structural, rural, and agricultural fires.

• Accelerate building plan approvals by handling fire compliance certifications in-house.

• Focus on prevention through community education and maintaining firebreaks.

• Provide critical disaster relief support.

For residents, the ongoing repairs on Dick Street are more than a construction project. They are the foundation of a new covenanta promise that when the next winter fire ignites or an emergency strikes, the response will be local, swift, and capable. It’s uMngeni’s decisive step from vulnerable dependence to resilient self-reliance.

{Source: IOL}

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