Mr Stuart Mangold on behalf of Minister Barbara Creecy: Homecoming message delivered for Working on Fire first team to mark their arrival from Canada
His Excellency, Mr Christopher Cooter, Canadian High Commissioner to South Africa,
Mr Nick Elliot, Chairperson of Kishugu Board,
Mr Trevor Abrahams, Managing Director of the Working on Fire (WoF) Programme;
Members of the South African Working on Fire teams;
Esteemed colleagues from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment;
Ladies and gentlemen.
I wish to begin by extending our sincere appreciation of the Working on Fire teams’ assistance to Canada in their time of need.
Canada Is experiencing an unprecedented wildfire season across most of its provinces and territories and your deployment of 428 Working on Fire personnel is exactly what the agreement we entered to in the South Africa-Canada Bi-National Commission, envisaged in terms of providing support in wildfire management when the need arises.
Let me also state that our South African Government, through a Cabinet statement on 23 June 2023 also saluted your deployment to Canada. This fifth collaboration between South Africa and Canada is evidence of the strong relations between our two countries and South Africa’s contribution to preserving our physical environment, regardless of which part of the world is affected by environmental threats.
Your efforts and your teams' arrival in Edmonton, which have been broadcast extensively in the electronic media and on social media platforms, have made us truly proud to be representing South Africa.
After a 35-day mission battling wildfires in the province of Alberta, Canada, I am pleased to welcome you home, our first group of firefighters and management from Working on Fire, the Mzanzi 1 Hotshots Team.
You heeded the call, in response to an urgent request from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC) as Canada experienced significant wildland fire activity.
Throughout your 35-day deployment, you demonstrated dedication and resilience, working tirelessly and around the clock to combat the wildfires that have plagued the province of Alberta.
Your commitment to the mission, your firefighting skills, and your positive spirits earned you widespread recognition and gratitude from both Canadian authorities, local communities and indeed the international community.
You not only showcased your exceptional firefighting abilities, but you also displayed professionalism, selflessness, and the WoF values of accountability, teamwork, excellence, and adaptability and made a difference in the lives of the people of Alberta in Canada.
This deployment presented an opportunity to meet and network on an international level with people from various countries who are in the same line of work. The exposure to Canada’s ways of managing wildfire situations and disasters has been a learning experience.
The education, knowledge, and vast skills gained will come in handy in their operations here at home.
Your homecoming was a bittersweet moment, not only for the firefighters, but also for their families, friends, and fellow South Africans who celebrated your safe return and expressed pride in your accomplishments.
Your deployment also gave you practical experience in fighting underground fires, which are much different than here at home.
The successful deployment of the Mzanzi 1 Hotshots in Canada reinforces the critical role played by the Working on Fire Programme in South Africa and its contribution to international firefighting efforts.
The programme, which empowers young men and women from disadvantaged communities by providing them with training and employment opportunities, has not only helped to mitigate the impact of wildfires but has also transformed lives and empowered communities.
The deployment also serves as a testament to the effectiveness of the Working on Fire - Kishugu joint venture's expertise in integrated fire management and the importance of international collaboration in addressing the burning issue of climate change and global warming.
A big highlight of your deployment is also the crew reports our teams received from the Alberta wildfire incident commanders. All the reports have spoken with praise about their morale, work ethic and describing them as hard and eager workers on the fire-line.
They received excellent ratings in areas such as their physical condition and fitness, mop up operations, off the line conduct, their adherence to safety on and off the fire-line, crew organisation and equipment and their general attitude.
In conclusion, I wish also to extend my best wishes to our remaining 213 firefighters and management who are still fighting these fires in Canada, and I am looking forward to also welcome them back home safely around the 20 July 2023.
I thank you.
