​The pain of losing a colleague on the line of duty is unbearable and overwhelming.
 
As a department, we are working together with the chaplains from EMS to offer counselling services to all the employees affected.
 
The Group Human Capital Management Employee Assistance Unit within the Group Corporate and Shared Services Department will today visit the brave and injured firefighters who are in hospital to offer counselling and support.
 
The counselling sessions are also extended to the firefighters who are not injured but were on scene and battled the fire that engulfed the health department building in the inner city and they are being contacted to arrange individual sessions.
 
An intervention plan was developed this morning at a meeting and is in place and tasks have been allocated between the two departments to give effect to these actions.
The plan to help the firefighters include visiting the bereaved families for trauma debriefing, and to also visit the families of the employees who are still in hospital.
 
As we get over this tragedy as a city, we are also cognisant of the dangers our Emergency Services face on a daily basis as they go on about their duties and for that reason measures are already put in place.
 
We will continue to work with chaplains from EMS to provide support to the Departmental employees in the future.
 
Once again we would like to send our heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased brave firefighters and wish speedy recovery to the employees still in hospital.
 
 
Cllr Ntombi Khumalo
MMC for Group Corporate and Shared Services
City of Johannesburg
 
For media enquiries please contact:
 
Mr Karabo Seane
Stakeholder Manager: Office of the MMC
Group Corporate and Shared Services
Tel: 011 407 6400 / 081 776 0122
Email: karabosea@joburg.org.za
 
OR
 
Ms Ningi Tshabane
Deputy Director: Employee Assistance Programme
Email: NtombiningiT@joburg.org.za
Tel: 011 407 6577 / Cell: 081 449 3365