The Deputy Minister of Public Works, Mr Jeremy Cronin, has expressed his condolences to the family of the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP) Working on Fire helicopter pilot who died while attempting to force land with his Bell 212 Huey (helicopter) near Olifantsbos in the Table Mountain National Park on Sunday.
Mr Willem Hendrik “Bees” Marias was a freelance flyer for Working on Fire for over three years. He was one of thousands of EPWP fire-fighters who responded to a societal call to protect the lives and properties of communities that were being destroyed by the raging fires in the Cape Town area last week.
The Deputy Minister Mr Cronin said: “Our hearts go out to the Marias family, friends and colleagues who indeed lost their loved one. The tragedy of Marias’ death is a pain that is felt by all South Africans,” “Our thoughts and prayers are with Marias’ family and his colleagues at this time of hardship. We wish them strength, hope and courage in these difficult times.”
The Deputy Director General (DDG) of EPWP in the national Department of Public Works, Mr Stanley Henderson also paid tribute to Marias.
He said Marais’ hard work and commitment to the improvement of the lives of the people of Cape Town would be remembered forever.
Speaking at the Gauteng Department of Social Development Thogomela Graduation Ceremony yesterday, 9 March 2015 in Johannesburg, Henderson said Marias died as a hero.
Meanwhile, Mr Linton Rensberg, the spokesman for the Working on Fire programme yesterday said the fires had been contained.
“We are currently doing mop-up operation. But our EPWP fire-fighters will remain in the area for the next three to five days just for monitoring purposes,” he added.
The fires in the Cape Town area first started in the Muizenberg area on 1 March 2015 and then spread to various parts of the Southern Peninsula.
