Pretoria - Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa has dispatched a mediator from Working on Fire (WoF) to Canada to assist in resolving the firefighters’ dispute.
The Department of Environmental Affairs said mediator from WoF, Trevor Abrahams, has been sent to resolve the dispute between the management of implementing agent WoF and a team of firefighters.
“Abrahams and a high level management team from WoF accompanied the South African High Commissioner to Canada, Membathisi Mdladlana, to meet with the firefighters and address their concerns,” the department said on Sunday.
This is in line with President Jacob Zuma’s request for Minister Molewa’s intervention in resolving the standoff.
The Minister is confident that the matter can be resolved in a mutually satisfactory manner, failing which the fire fighters will be demobilised and return safely back to South Africa.
Minister Molewa concurs fully with sentiment expressed by Alberta Governor Rachel Notley that remuneration for the fire fighters should be fair and equitable.
To this end, the department will continue to engage directly with the implementing agent, WoF personnel and with the Canadian government on the conditions under which South African firefighters are deployed both now and in future.
“This will include the negotiation of a Memorandum of Understanding between the governments of Canada and South Africa, as well as a concomitant implementation plan between the implementing agencies of Canada and South Africa respectively.
“This implementation plan will be done in consultation with WoF firefighters,” the department said.
The 301 fire fighters were deployed to the Canadian province of Alberta earlier this month to assist with wildfire suppression, as part of a resource sharing agreement with Canadian fire fighting agencies.
Working on Fire has been in existence since 2003 and has received international recognition for its role in supporting conservation and sustaining ecosystems and community upliftment through the provision of job opportunities and skills and training of participants.
Young men and women from marginalized communities are trained in fire prevention and suppression, but also in first aid, carpentry, cooking, health and safety, teamwork, leadership skills and communications.
Working on Fire is part of the government’s Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) which aims to create job opportunities for South Africans who cannot find work, enabling them to gain skills and increase their capacity to earn income, and to enter the formal workplace.
Last year, two young former firefighters from Working on Fire started with their Trainee Pilot Programme at WoF’s implementing agency where they are expected to graduate as pilots and one day fly WoF's fire fighting aircraft.
“We are immensely proud of our well-trained firefighters who have done excellent work over a number of years, which has been recognized by the international fire fighting community,” said Minister Molewa. – SAnews.gov.za
