Update: EMS denies allegations
Spokesperson says allegations misleading and unfounded.
The spokesperson for the Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS), Robert Mulaudzi, has categorically denied all the allegations levelled at the EMS by an insider source.
According to Mulaudzi it was “unfortunate that allegations of the incompetence of management” has been brought up.
“At the City of Johannesburg (COJ) there is no platoon commander, station commander or divisional chief who are hired without meeting the requirements of the post. Staff members are shortlisted accordingly and then interviewed and the best candidate is hired. The issue of management’s incompetency is misleading and unfounded,” said Mulaudzi in an email to the Record.
On the issue of the selling of certificates he admitted that one person has been arrested in relation to this misdemeanour but added that “this does not mean that every firefighter who works for the EMS bought a certificate.”
Mulaudzi said he could not comment on the allegation that the problems started when Roodepoort was amalgamated with the COJ and called it a “political decision”.
He also explained that all institutions faces staff shortages from time to time and that experienced firefighters sometimes leave for greener pastures but that they have advertised positions for new firefighters and said the process is at an “advanced stage”.
He admitted the canteen was closed due to it not being financially viable but denied that all the toilets were out of order.
As far as firefighters allegedly having to buy their own equipment goes Mulaudzi said “We do not expect them to buy equipment because each and every station has its own budget to buy it’s cleaning equipment, so if they are buying it they must provide proof so that we can refund them, because it’s not suppose to happen in the first place.”
Probably the most serious allegation concerned the shortage of vehicles.
“Yes, most of our fire engines are aging and are always at the work shops being fixed, that is the reason we have implemented a vehicle replacement plan to replace the older fleet with the new ones. That processes we are conducting is slow though because we cannot replace all of them at once but it is underway,” he said.
“We want to reassure the citizens of Roodepoort and the COJ in general ?that we are still capable of rendering an effective and professional service and will continue to do so. The head of the department of Public Safety will address the allegations and the way forward in the coming week,” Mulaudzi concluded.
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