Sinoville firefighters win court battle, cementing legitimacy of private brigades

After winning its court battle against the city of Tshwane, the Sinoville Firefighters Association on Friday said it hoped its recent court victory against the City of Tshwane would set a precedent for private fire brigades across the country.

The association runs a private, voluntary firefighting service that it provides for free to communities in the northern part of Pretoria.

The City of Tshwane recently took the association to court, seeking to have its firefighting service declared unlawful, however, the court dismissed the application.

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The High Court in Pretoria said there was currently no legislation regulating or prohibiting private firefighting services.

The Sinoville Firefighters Association was established by community members who had lost faith in the municipality’s fire brigade.

It is a non-profit organisation that survives mostly on donor funding, though it also collects membership fees and occasionally receives money through insurance claims from the houses and businesses it assists.

Johan Botha, the head of the association, said the court ruling had cleared any doubt over its legitimacy.

"This court case was breaking ground; it’s not only for the Sinoville Firefighters Association, it’s for the whole country. I’ve received calls from Paarl and Tzaneen, with people thanking us and asking what our model is and how we do it, so now it’s legal to form your own private fire brigade services. I just want to warn people, though, that it’s dangerous work," he said.

Botha said the association existed to assist the municipal fire brigade, not to replace it.