A fire has broken out on the mountain slopes in Simon’s Town in the Cape Peninsula.
Fire and Rescue spokesperson Jermaine Carelse says the fire area has been divided into three divisions to make operations more manageable. He says two Oryx helicopters were requested from Ysterplaat Air Force base to assist with water bombing efforts.
#RedHill Fire Update
Table Mountain National Park can confirm that the fire that started at 07:00 am this morning in Simons Town – Red Hill Area has been successfully contained at 11:00 am. pic.twitter.com/O93WV4800M
— SANParks TMNP (@TableMountainNP) May 3, 2021
“The City’s Fire & Rescue Service is currently battling a blaze in the Simons Town area, above the Signal School. The call was received at approximately 05:55 of mountain slopes alight. We currently have ten firefighting appliances and about 50 firefighters on scene, being assisted by Table Mountain National Park and a crew from the Navy.”
#NEWSTART ? Red Hill – Simonstown ?@TableMountainNP @NCCEnviron Type 1 Crews are responding to a fire in Simonstown – Red Hill area . @cptfrs are in attendance.#WeHaveGotYourBack#FireIsEveryonesFight#SomeLeadWhileOthersAreDestinedToFollow
? – Brian de Stadler pic.twitter.com/nFf5APJonr
— NCC Wildfires (@NCCWildfires) May 3, 2021
Meanwhile, in April, the City of Cape Town said it was due to meet firefighters following a threat by the South African Municipal Workers’ Union (Samwu) to down tools due to allegations of poor working conditions.
The union said firefighters are being required to work long hours without any form of compensation.
City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith, rejected the allegations.
Smith also denied Samwu’s claims that the city is planning to dismiss over 500 firefighters.
Samwu said the firefighters have been engaged in a wage dispute with the city over the long hours they are required to work on weekends and public holidays since 2010.
The union said the firefighters intend to join the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) in its upcoming public servants’ wage strike.
