The Cape Winelands District Municipality and the Western Cape government miserably failed the Wellington farming community with the fires that ravaged the area between 18 and 23 February.
The fires caused thousands of rands in damage and destroyed nearly 1 630 hectares of vegetation and crops.
Several institution’s ground teams, farmers and their workers helped to fight the fires.
The District Municipality and the Western Cape government offered no air support.
Their defence – that air support would not have made any impact on the fire in Wellington due to the area being wooded and that no property or lives were threatened – is absolutely untrue.
During the Paarlberg fire in November 2024, no less than three helicopters were deployed to put out the fire. Helicopters were also deployed to help fight the fire raging on Table Mountain.
Agricultural leaders, private individuals and institutions jumped in to establish an emergency fund to obtain a helicopter. A private company also made its fixed-wing aircraft available at its own expense.
The Freedom Front Plus (VF Plus) thanks every firefighter, the farming community and private institutions that brought the fire under control despite extremely difficult circumstances.
