
Children and livestock continue to perish while government fails to buy firefighting equipment.
Mpumalanga residents have begged government to assist with firefighting resources as fires continue to kill kids and livestock in Mpumalanga.
The people expressed this while Parliament’s portfolio committee on environment, forestry and fisheries was conducting hearings in the province’s Kwaggafontein and Bushbuckridge areas the past weekend 8-10 July 2022.
The committee is currently conducting public hearings as Parliament plans to amend the National Veld and Forest Fires Act in order to “insert certain definitions” in the law and make the formation of fire protection associations by a municipality or a traditional council – and force municipalities or any public institution “to join fire protection associations and extend the powers of entry, search, seizure and arrest to peace officers and traditional leaders”.
It conducted hearings in Ermelo on Friday, Kwaggafontein Saturday and Bushbuckridge Sunday.
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The community members slammed Parliament officials for “arrogance” in getting government to have proper firefighting infrastructure.
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Pogiso Modise, a member of Parliament, chaired the public meetings throughout the weekend and will report back to Parliament in no time about what the community members said.
“Many of our children have died in shacks, a lot of animals and livestock have died because of fire,” one resident said to Modise.
He answered: “We are here to afford you an opportunity to express your views on the methodologies to combat fires,” adding that also farms where important food is grown get affected and that should come to a stop.
There had previously been problems with govt recognising private institutions fighting fires but now that might come to an end as the new law will ensure a legal co-operation between the land stakeholders.
The committee heard that when there are fires all the vegetation that include wild fruit which women from the poorest of the poor families harvest to feed their children is destroyed.
In both communities, the participants in the hearings asked the committee to ensure that the Bill clarifies whether the Fire Protection Associations should be constituted at district, provincial or national levels and how will the associations assist.
Modise told the residents that minister Barbara Creecy will intervene in terms of Section 7 of the Act, which compels her to assist communities in the formation of fire protection associations.
(edited by ZK)
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