Media Release: R9 million to date for a Stronger, Faster, Better Prepared Hazmat and Flood Responses

For Immediate Release
24 August 2026

The Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) Fire and Rescue Services reached another milestone today when the last of its Fire Service Capacity Grant for Hazardous Materials equipment worth R1.5 million was handed over to the GRDM by the Western Cape Government (WCG) Department of Local Government (DLG) earlier today. It was also shared by Disaster Management that the construction a R7,5 million flood response base, phase one, remains on track. The grant, which is geared to help Local Government protect communities, is administered WCG DLG.

Deon Stoffels, GRDM Fire Chief said that “through this funding, mobile response trailers have already been strategically positioned in Knysna, Riversdale, and the Kannaland/Oudtshoorn area to facilitate rapid deployment and effective initial incident management”.

“Our teams are now more than ever before, equipped with the necessary specialised resources, remain in a constant state of preparedness along key transportation corridors within the Western Cape”.

Firefighters often face dangerous incidents, and this grant helps us to work safely and effectively,” he said.

Hazmat-related incidents often take place along Garden Route transportation corridors include the likes of the N2, N9, R62 and associated road networks, as well as challenging areas such as the Swartberg Pass.

Commenting on the flood-response base, Gerhard Otto, GRDM Manager: Disaster Management, said the facility would provide secure storage for flood-response equipment, water tankers, mobile backup generators and firefighting vehicles. It will also provide a dedicated space for training, including practical rope-rescue techniques.

Phase one, funded out of the same grant as the hazmat materials, includes the construction of the foundation and roof structure. Phases two and three, for which funding would need to be sourced, will involve enclosing the facility, installing electricity and completing the flooring.

During the ceremony today, Mayor Marais Kruger pointed to the handover as being more than an investment in equipment. “It is an investment in the people who protect our communities every day.”

“The true value of this investment will be measured in lives saved, communities protected, and disasters mitigated,” said Kruger.

Speaking on the strategic nature of Firefighting and Disaster Management, the GRDM Acting Municipal Manager, Nthabeleng Raisa-Mlandu (also the HOD for Community Services), correctly said that emergency services cannot be sustained through local resources alone.

“The scale and complexity of modern disasters require specialised equipment, advanced tech and highly trained personnel, to name a few. Strategic support is therefore, for this reason, required from Provincial Government to broaden our skills, occupational health, safety and ensure modern equipment and organisational support is a given”, she said.

WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS GRANT HANDOVER?

Trailer, Class A, B, C Suits, Nitrile Rubber Hazmat Gloves, Portable Decon Showers, Decon Pools, Hazmat Spill kits, Hazmat absorbents, Repair Putty 12/Box, 210L Large Mouth Over drum, Hazmat Kit – Drum & Pinhole Plugging Kit, Hazmat Kit – Wooden Cone & Wedge Kit, Hazmat Kit – External Pipe Sealing Kit, Hazmat I.D. Kit, 4 stage Gas detector and a mini compressor.

WHAT ARE THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE FLOOD RESPONSE BASE

Size of 700 m², 14 parking bays (bays could accommodate 22m long trailers), 0.50mm thick aluminium-zinc or Chroma deck roof sheeting/ clip lock to prevent rust, steel roof sheeting in continuous lengths, chain operated, horizontal slatted roller shutter doors on northern and southern sides of the building.

A visual representation of the flood response base which will also be situated on the same property as the Garden Route Regional Fire Station in George.

INVESTMENTS SHAPE EACH FUTURE INCIDENT RESPONSE

Together, these investments reinforce our, and the provinces’ commitment to safeguarding lives, protecting infrastructure, and enhancing the readiness of emergency services throughout the Garden Route district. The event was attended by Assistant Director, Marthinus Rust assistent Director Fire and Rescue services Western Cape Disaster Management who made it clear that the Garden Route’s response is the Western Cape Provincial Government’s response – “I am not here for me, I am here for we”, synonymous with the Western Cape Government Slogan of “For you”. The “For You” communicates that we are citizen-centric and embrace doing everything we can for the people we serve.

Editor’s notes: Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning previously said the following during a similar handover: “We are investing in preparedness, resilience and the ability of our emergency services to respond when communities need them most”.

The WCG DLG Fire Service Capacity Grant is an enabler of rapid response to chemical spills and hazardous material incidents; real-time safety monitoring of emergency response personnel; compliant on-site decontamination capabilities; mitigation of chemical Incidents; and operational readiness for incidents of any scale.

Feature image caption: Learner Firefighters Ebenezer Shikapa (left) and Rodwin Quoton Van Wyk wearing Class A suits – fully encapsulated suits with breathing apparatuses.

ENDS