/ MEDIA STATEMENT / The content on this page is not written by Polity.org.za, but is supplied by third parties. This content does not constitute news reporting by Polity.org.za.

The DA calls for an independent investigation into the fire that swept through the Vredefort Dome Heritage Area on Saturday between Potchefstroom and Parys, that resulted in the loss of one life, the destruction of more than 25 000 hectares of grazing land and death of livestock.

Farmers in the area responded to the fire but were quickly overwhelmed and called for assistance from the local JB Marks Fire Department. As the fire raged out of control, the fire department informed farmers that they were unable to continue attending to the fire because they run out of fuel.

Farmers then took to social media calling for additional assistance across social media platforms.

A vehicle transporting hot ash and refuse is believed to be the cause of the fire along the R53. Strong winds fuelled the fire, blowing it into the Vredefort Dome Heritage Area.  

A collection of vintage cars was also destroyed in the fire. 

The DA will write to the MEC for the Department of Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements, and Traditional Affairs, Nono Maloyi, requesting an investigation into the readiness of the Provincial Disaster Management Centre to coordinate effective response to emergencies such as these. In addition, we want to know whether resources were properly deployed, including the early activation of the air support. The investigation should also consider how a fire department could run out of fuel and why fire emergency services struggle to contain fire when year after year lives, livestock and grazing are lost due to runaway fires.  

We have consistently raised concerns over the poor state of readiness and the lack of resources and capacity across fire departments throughout the North West. The destruction of more than 25 000 hectares of prime heritage land were destroyed demonstrates that adequate fire breaks have not been put in place, and adequate fire prevention measures were also not taken.  

The recent arrival of Working on Fire's firefighting helicopter and spotter plane in Potchefstroom should have improved the response to this fire and avoided the loss of life and the loss suffered by the farmers in the area.

In the DA governed Western Cape, our government has made provision for 20 firefighting aircraft. These include eight spotter planes, four fixed-wing bombers, and eight helicopters, all operating from strategically placed bases to quickly and efficiently respond to fire emergencies that save lives and protect property. A DA government in North West would be able to do the same.

Issued by Gavin Edwards - DA Spokesperson on Agriculture in the North West Provincial Legislature