Question 1 (a)
The department of COGTA has initiated fire services capacity assessments which is updated on annual basis with all the Provincial Disaster Management Centres across the Country. The current total number of fire rescue disaster personnel are as follows:
Provinces |
Number of fire rescue members |
Western Cape |
1 452 |
Free State |
481 |
Gauteng |
3 538 |
Eastern Cape |
938 |
KwaZulu-Natal |
1 125 |
North West |
650 |
Limpopo |
482 |
Mpumalanga |
478 |
Northern Cape |
88 |
Question 1 (b) (i) and (ii)
Eastern Cape |
10 |
Free State |
27 |
North West |
23 |
Gauteng |
197 |
Western Cape |
69 |
Limpopo |
0 |
Mpumalanga |
37 |
Northern Cape |
0 |
KwaZulu-Natal |
205 |
Question 2 (a) (b) (c) (d)
The Department performs annual Urban Search & Rescue capacity assessments within the Provinces as part of its efforts to ensure the establishment as well as development of a sustainable Urban Search & Rescue capacity within the country.
The last capacity assessment in terms of (a) (b) (c) (d) was performed in the Mpumalanga Province on 25 October 2023.
Question 3
The Department has no active MOUs with NGOs/Non-profit organizations dealing with rescue disasters, as these are typically entered into on a Provincial and Municipal level with NGOs/NPOs at the initial face of operations. However, the Department is exploring the possibilities of such MOUs and have referred a recent request for partnership with an NGO through to the CoGTA Legal Services for a legal opinion. The Department is also in the process of having it's Urban Search & Rescue Governance Framework gazetted, which, in line with the Disaster Management Act (No 57 of 2002) calls for the active participation of all stakeholders, including the private sector, NGOs, technical experts, communities, traditional leaders and volunteers, in disaster risk and response planning and operations.
End.