AfriForum questions and demands transparency over new Working on Fire tender

AfriForum today has submitted an application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to obtain full transparency regarding the recent awarding of the Working on Fire programme tender.

This application specifically focuses on the tender documentation relating to the appointment of the new service provider, Tefla Group, as well as the previous tender awarded to Khisugu JV, which managed the Working on Fire programme over the past few years.

The Working on Fire programme plays a critical role in South Africa’s veld fire management. Veld fires are a highly specialised and technical field and it is essential that only experienced and competent service providers are appointed for this type of work. An incorrect appointment could have far-reaching consequences for communities, the environment and the economy. Many fire protection associations rely on Working on Fire during South Africa’s veld fire season to extinguish fires and conduct controlled burns.

AfriForum is particularly concerned about the appointment of Tefla Group, as it has come to the organisation’s attention that the company was awarded a contract by the Garden Route District Municipality in 2023 for the development of a landfill site in Mossel Bay. However, this contract was cancelled by the Garden Route Municipality in June 2025 due to slow progress and the inability to deliver the required service.

“It raises serious concern that a company with an apparent history of poor performance is being entrusted with a tender worth approximately R1,8 billion for a critical national programme that is meant to assist communities, but may now leave them vulnerable,” says Tarien Cooks, AfriForum’s Disaster Management Specialist.

Veld fires in South Africa worsen annually and result in widespread property damage, as well as the loss of human lives and livestock.

“The public has the right to know how a tender is awarded to a company delivering such a critical service and whether that company has the knowledge, decision-making ability and resource capacity to support communities during veld fires,” concludes Cooks.