Matsulu is fired up!
Mathonsi requested the community to find a suitable name with a meaning for the station.
A fire station with a fire engine with the capacity to hold more than 000 litres was officially opened lst Wednesday.
This was the official launch of the first- ever Matsulu Fire Station, worth over 6,5 million. The opening saw concerned groups claiming that the project did not benefit the people of the area in any way.
Addressing their concerns, the executive mayor for the City of Mbombela, Cllr Sibusiso Mathonsi, said first preferences should be given to the locals in terms of employment issues at the station.”We will continue to engage them on how we will train and skill the youth of the area from now, going forward,” said Mathonsi.
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He added that the station had been scheduled to open in March, but due to the fire engine being imported from overseas, it had delayed the municipal process. He said the lack of skills from among the youth of the area was another cause for the delay.
“We couldn’t hire employees for this station as there were those whom we sent for training and needed to be absorbed here. We will absorb them into our system and they will be employed here. Some of them come from Matsulu and they could be deployed anywhere,” he said.
Mathonsi added that the government will continue to capacitate the youth with needed skills. He urged them to take up learnerships and trainings available to obtain the needed skills in the province.
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He said the building will house traffic officers and emergency services to help the community and users of the N4 toll route in times of need. He revealed that the municipality is planning to build other fire stations in Barberton and Hazyview.
Mathonsi urged community members to jealousy safeguard the station as they would their own property. “The engine ere is the most powerful one we have ever had. We urge you to take care of this facility,” he said.
He requested the community to find a suitable name with a meaning for the station.
