SA fire fighters coming home

South African fire fighters who embarked on a strike over wages in Canada will return home on Tuesday.

“Following successful discussions‚ between the fire fighters and the high-level Working on Fire team that we had dispatched to Canada‚ they have agreed to their demobilisation and to return back home to South Africa‚” said Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa.

Molewa dispatched a mediator from Working on Fire late last week to resolve the dispute.

A statement by the minister on Monday said that the negotiations were aimed at encouraging the team of 301 fire fighters to complete their deployment‚ or ensure they returned home safely if the weather was poor.

“The mediation regarding continuation of the suppression of fire was no longer necessary owing to weather conditions in both Fort McMurray and Edmonton where it has been raining heavily‚ and therefore meaning that the number of international fire fighters from other countries had to return home‚” said the statement.

“We remain immensely proud of our well-trained fire fighters who have done excellent work over a number of years‚ which has been recognized by the international fire fighting community‚” said Molewa.

“We call upon the nation not to condemn the fire fighters. Condemning them for disappointing us can only demoralise them despite their successful track-record.

“Upon their arrival at home‚ we will engage with them to adopt appropriate mechanisms through which they could raise any legitimate concerns in future‚ should they have any‚” she said.