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18 July 2025
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City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department staff and top management donate to charity on Mandela Day
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As we all know, Mandela Day is a celebration of President Nelson Mandela's life and legacy which is observed annually on 18 July, his birthday. It is a day to promote community service, volunteerism and social responsibility. The day encourages people to take action and make a positive impact in their communities, just like Mandela did. On this day, people around the world engage in various activities, such as volunteering for community projects, supporting local charities, promoting education and health initiatives and fostering social cohesion and community development. The idea is to dedicate 67 minutes of your time to community service, symbolising the 67 years that Mandela spent fighting for social justice and human rights. Mandela Day is a powerful reminder of the importance of giving back, making a difference and working towards a better world.
Our firefighters and disaster management officers protect Tshwane communities by fighting fires and extracting people from burning buildings in informal settlements, formal residential areas and commercial properties. They protect communities from disasters and rescue stranded victims of floods or other emergencies such as crashed motor vehicles, and provide much-needed disaster relief, critical assistance and support to those affected. However, they also conduct fire safety education programmes by which they visit early childhood development centres, community centres and schools, thereby educating people about fire safety and prevention and providing first-aid and emergency medical treatment to the injured.
The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department prides itself on its capacity to provide various other important services such as those provided at the Training Academy. The department’s personnel often participate in training exercises and attend interagency or intergovernmental institution meetings or conferences to stay up to date on the latest methods, systems, techniques and technologies.
Our fire safety officers and emergency planning officers conduct the planning of emergency evacuation drills on various premises, including buildings, hospitals and homes for elderly people. These officers also do emergency planning and law enforcement, conduct compliance inspections and issue authorised compliance certificates to individual property owners or businesses.
Another little-known fact about our personnel is that they sometimes discretely take part in charity work, often giving back to vulnerable families and conducting community outreach programmes while on duty and even when off duty, thereby building relationships with the communities they live in.
This year, our Public Information, Education and Relations Section coordinated a visit to Olievenhoutbosch Place of Safety. Company Commander Charles Tlou and the student firefighters from the Training Academy went above and beyond their call of duty when they clubbed together money from their own pockets and bought paint to renovate the children’s home in Olievenhoutbosch on Mandela Day. They also cooked a warm and hearty meal for the children.
The City was abuzz with many other activities in the various regions, and teams from our Fire and Rescue Operations Division took the opportunity to spread the message of winter fire safety awareness and education by being part of these planned events. Philip Nel Park Fire Station, which is situated in Region 3, attended the charitable event that took place in Westford Informal Settlement. The event was planned by a non-profit organisation that also invited other role players, such as the South African Police Service and the Department of Health.
The Chief of Emergency, Mr Moshema Mosia, was also at the forefront of these charitable activities on Mandela Day, as he and some members of the staff and management also chipped in with more donations, joining the Olievenhoutbosch Place of Safety team. In his brief speech during this occasion, he emphasised that the department is driven by being of service to the public in as many ways as possible. He said that he was very touched by the stories told by Mrs Mokoena about the children that came to her centre.
The chief also highlighted that some of these stories are, in fact, the embodiment of true courage, hope and success, and that they outline the bravery and kindness of Mrs Mokoena, the children’s main guardian. The family and children were incredibly happy and felt loved by this humble gesture by the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department.
Our firefighters and disaster management officers protect Tshwane communities by fighting fires and extracting people from burning buildings in informal settlements, formal residential areas and commercial properties. They protect communities from disasters and rescue stranded victims of floods or other emergencies such as crashed motor vehicles, and provide much-needed disaster relief, critical assistance and support to those affected. However, they also conduct fire safety education programmes by which they visit early childhood development centres, community centres and schools, thereby educating people about fire safety and prevention and providing first-aid and emergency medical treatment to the injured.
The City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department prides itself on its capacity to provide various other important services such as those provided at the Training Academy. The department’s personnel often participate in training exercises and attend interagency or intergovernmental institution meetings or conferences to stay up to date on the latest methods, systems, techniques and technologies.
Our fire safety officers and emergency planning officers conduct the planning of emergency evacuation drills on various premises, including buildings, hospitals and homes for elderly people. These officers also do emergency planning and law enforcement, conduct compliance inspections and issue authorised compliance certificates to individual property owners or businesses.
Another little-known fact about our personnel is that they sometimes discretely take part in charity work, often giving back to vulnerable families and conducting community outreach programmes while on duty and even when off duty, thereby building relationships with the communities they live in.
This year, our Public Information, Education and Relations Section coordinated a visit to Olievenhoutbosch Place of Safety. Company Commander Charles Tlou and the student firefighters from the Training Academy went above and beyond their call of duty when they clubbed together money from their own pockets and bought paint to renovate the children’s home in Olievenhoutbosch on Mandela Day. They also cooked a warm and hearty meal for the children.
The City was abuzz with many other activities in the various regions, and teams from our Fire and Rescue Operations Division took the opportunity to spread the message of winter fire safety awareness and education by being part of these planned events. Philip Nel Park Fire Station, which is situated in Region 3, attended the charitable event that took place in Westford Informal Settlement. The event was planned by a non-profit organisation that also invited other role players, such as the South African Police Service and the Department of Health.
The Chief of Emergency, Mr Moshema Mosia, was also at the forefront of these charitable activities on Mandela Day, as he and some members of the staff and management also chipped in with more donations, joining the Olievenhoutbosch Place of Safety team. In his brief speech during this occasion, he emphasised that the department is driven by being of service to the public in as many ways as possible. He said that he was very touched by the stories told by Mrs Mokoena about the children that came to her centre.
The chief also highlighted that some of these stories are, in fact, the embodiment of true courage, hope and success, and that they outline the bravery and kindness of Mrs Mokoena, the children’s main guardian. The family and children were incredibly happy and felt loved by this humble gesture by the City of Tshwane Emergency Services Department.
