firefighting

In June this year, devastating fires laid waste to the Western Cape, particularly in the towns of Knysna and neighbouring Plettenberg Bay, where homes...

As a team of 300 firefighters from South Africa's Working on Fire programme landed in Canada to join efforts to battle a massive wildfire raging in the country's Alberta province, they broke into a traditional song and dance routine in the airport arrivals hall. The video of their performance has inspired Canadians - and gone viral across the world.

Two firefighters lost their lives in the weeklong blazes across the Cape Peninsula: Nazeem Davies, heading back to base after dousing a fire, died when his vehicle crashed and pilot Willem Marais died when his helicopter crashed while battling a fire in the Cape Point Nature Reserve.

The Cape Town Cycle Tour, the world's largest timed cycling event, was cut to 47km because of fires along its traditional route. But that did not stop tens of thousands of people riding in and supporting the Show You Care Solidarity Ride.

South Africa's Working on Fire firefighting programme not only saves lives and billions of rands in property every year, it also changes for the better the lives of the ex-prisoners and once-destitute people who fight the fires.

South Africa's Working on Fire firefighting programme not only saves lives and billions of rands in property every year, it also changes for the better the lives of the ex-prisoners and once-destitute people who fight the fires.