Pretoria - The South African government has welcomed back the firefighters that were deployed to Canada to help that country fight wildlands fires.
Late last week, Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa sent a mediator from Working on Fire (WoF), Trevor Abrahams, to Canada to help resolve the dispute between the management of the implementing agent, WoF, and a team of firefighters.
Abrahams and a high level management team from WoF, accompanied by the South African High Commissioner to Canada, Membathisi Mdladlana, met with the firefighters to address their concerns.
The mediation, however, was no longer necessary, as it started raining heavily in the areas where the fires were raging, meaning that international fire fighters had to go back to their respective countries. The South African team has been demobilised.
“We remain immensely proud of our well-trained firefighters, who have done excellent work over a number of years, which has been recognised by the international firefighting community.
“The successful team was instrumental in fighting the fires in our country and saved lives, especially during the worst-recorded veld fires that ravaged the Western Cape last year.
“Following successful discussions between the fire fighters and the high-level WoF team that we had dispatched to Canada, they have agreed to their demobilisation and to return home to South Africa.
“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 at home, we will engage with them to adopt appropriate mechanisms through which they can raise any legitimate concerns in future, should they have any,” said Minister Molewa.
The management of WoF has assured them there will be an internal inquiry 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 Minister Molewa.
Government, through Department of Environmental Affairs and the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, will continue to engage directly with the Canadian government to set up a memorandum of understanding that can be used when they work together in future.
“We will also ensure that there is a concomitant implementation plan for the implementing agencies in South Africa and Canada. We look forward to receiving our firefighters and that they will continue with their good work at home,” said the Minister. – SAnews.gov.za
