Cape Argus reports that the City of Cape Town has noted with disappointment an increase in the number of incidents where firefighters have been prevented from doing their jobs.  

“Attacks on firefighters are becoming far too commonplace and it’s disgusting.  If people aren’t stoning the fire engines, they threaten or harass the firefighters trying to get to the front line or even cut their hoses.  “It’s unbelievable.  The very people the firefighters are trying to protect are causing delays…” said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety, Security and Social Services, JP Smith.  He said residents needed to realise that they were not the enemy and such behaviour could rob communities of a potential lifesaving service.  A team of firefighters briefly withdrew from an assignment at an informal settlement in Rylands on the Cape Flats on Wednesday after residents turned on them.  Firefighters were also prevented from doing their job in Joe Slovo, near Milnerton, and Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay.

• Read this report by Okuhle Hlati in full at Cape Argus

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