Note to Editors: Please find English and Setswana soundbites by Cllr Alfred Makhafula here and here
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in Tshwane believes that instead of trying to abolish private firefighting services, the City of Tshwane should instead aim for appropriate regulations while addressing its own capacity issues.
We do not dispute the City’s legal concerns. Regulation of private firefighters is necessary.
But the reality is this that Tshwane’s own firefighting capacity is under severe strain due to financial limitations, understaffing, and ageing infrastructure.
In such a context, qualified private fire services are not a threat — they are a resource.
Tshwane’s fire brigade includes excellent, dedicated professionals — but they are being asked to do more with less, while the need for fast, effective emergency response grows.
What the City should be doing is working with provincial and national government to update the outdated regulatory framework, and creating a clear, modern licensing system that allows capable private services to operate legally, transparently, and in support of — not in opposition to — municipal responders.
Blanket opposition and litigation do not solve the problem. Reform does.
The DA supports the development of a unified emergency services framework in Gauteng that maintains professional standards while recognising that in a city with resource constraints, qualified private responders can help save lives.