Minister is ‘immensely proud’ of firefighters
South African wildland fire fighters getting ready for biggest international deployment in history 301 Fire fighters and management from the South African Working on Fire programme have started to assemble in Johannesburg, Gauteng, from where they will be flying to Alberta, Canada, on Sunday, 29 May 2016, (06H00) to assist the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) with their wildland fire suppression efforts.This deployment of wildland fire fighters is the biggest South African deployment ever (outside of the army) to assist a foreign country. South African fire fighters from Working on Fire at a recent training camp before departure to Canada South African wildland fire fighters getting ready for biggest international deployment in history 301 Fire fighters and management from the South African Working on Fire programme have started to assemble in Johannesburg, Gauteng, from where they will be flying to Alberta, Canada, on Sunday, 29 May 2016, (06H00) to assist the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) with their wildland fire suppression efforts.This deployment of wildland fire fighters is the biggest South African deployment ever (outside of the army) to assist a foreign country. South African fire fighters from Working on Fire at a recent training camp before departure to Canada
The Minister of Environmental Affairs, Edna Molewa, congratulated the South African firefighters deployed to Canada to help fight the runaway fires.
“We remain immensely proud of our well-trained firefighters who have done excellent work over a number of years, recognised by the international firefighting community,” said Molewa.
Her congratulations come on the heels of a pay dispute by the firefighters, employed by Working on Fire (WoF) – a government project under the expanded public works programme – who downed tools on June 8, soon after their much-celebrated arrival in Alberta, Canada.
A video of their song and dance at an Alberta airport went viral. Reportedly, the young firefighters – part of the team that worked on quelling the blazes in the Western Cape last year – heard on Canadian news that they were being paid CAD$50 (R591) for a 12-hour workday, far less than what was being reported by some South African media outlets, of between $15 and $21 an hour.
Since then, Working of Fire has denied what it has called false reports and a WoF mediator, Trevor Abrahams, was dispatched by Molewa to Canada to help resolve the dispute.
However, according to the Department of Environment Affairs, because of the heavy rainfall in the area affected, there was no longer a need for the firefighters who would, along with other foreign teams, make their way back home.
The department said the firefighters had agreed to the demobilisation.
Before their return, Molewa stated: “We call upon the nation not to condemn the firefighters. Condemning them for disappointing us can only demoralise them despite their successful track record. Upon their arrival home, we will engage with them to adopt appropriate mechanisms through which they could raise any legitimate concerns in future, should they have any.”
According to the department, an internal inquiry would be conducted to “ascertain what could have led to the dispute in Canada”.
“Rest assured, our number one priority is and always was around the well-being of our firefighters and to ensure the longevity of the Working on Fire programme,” said Molewa.
The department, along with the Department of International Relations and Co-operation, would also work with the Canadian government to establish a memorandum of understanding for future similar relations.
“We look forward to receiving our firefighters and that they will continue with their good work at home,” she said.
The 301 firefighters and WoF management were expected to return to South Africa on Tuesday.
African News Agency