A picture of death and destruction emerged on Monday as officials counted the cost of veld fires that ravaged several provinces.
By late afternoon, nine fires were still burning in Mpumalanga and Swaziland. More runaway fires were also reported in KwaZulu-Natal.
The weekend’s fires claimed at least 13 lives in KwaZulu-Natal, and six firefighters died in Mpumalanga.
Some news reports put the death toll in Mpumalanga as high as 17.
Former M&G staff member dies
Former Mail & Guardian national sales manager Bruce Sneddon (35) and his partner Fiona Ferguson (37) died in the blaze at the Machado Stud Trout Farm near Machadodorp on Saturday.
The Star newspaper reported that the couple were among 14 guests at the farm when the fire ripped across the area at about 2am on Saturday. The guests first tried to escape in their vehicles, then fled on foot to the farm’s trout dams, but Sneddon and Ferguson apparently got lost, said the newspaper.
A short while later, Sneddon was lying in a ditch. He had been badly burnt and died on the way to hospital. Ferguson’s charred body was recovered.
Dean Wright, general manager of sales at the M&G, said on Tuesday that Sneddon was loved and respected by all who knew him.
Disaster zones
Damage caused by the runaway fires of the past few days was extensive, Cabinet ministers said on Monday.
Public Enterprises Minister Alec Erwin said early indications were that about 11 000ha of Komatiland forests in Mpumalanga had been affected.
Provincial and Local Government Minister Sydney Mufamadi — speaking after a helicopter flight over affected areas — said: ”Damage is quite extensive, [there is a] loss of lives, households [have] lost their livelihoods, grazing lands affected, plantations affected, sawmill enterprises affected, loss of jobs.”
He said the possibility of declaring parts of Mpumalanga disaster zones could not be precluded.
In the Free State, about 15 000ha of grazing was destroyed on farms around Kestell and Harrismith.
In KwaZulu-Natal, the agriculture and environment department confirmed at least 13 people had died in the fires.
Reports indicated 10 deaths at eDumbe, one at Entumeni and one at Embongolowane.
A young child also died in Winterton, said department spokesperson Mbulelo Baloyi.
The six firemen who died in Mpumalanga were all on duty at the time.
Water affairs and forestry official Kim Weir said five firefighters died after flames caught up with their Land Rover. Another firefighter drowned after his truck rolled into a dam. All the deaths were in the Sabie and Graskop areas.
The battle to bring the remaining fires under control continued on Monday.
Working on Fire (WoF) spokesperson Eveleyn Holtzhausen said a special task team had been formed at Nelspruit.
It included the National Disaster Management Centre, the South African National Defence Force, municipalities, fire protection associations (formed by landowners for mutual assistance), forestry companies and the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry.
Although the number of fires had decreased since Saturday, the remaining fires had increased in intensity and size, WoF said in a statement.
Hot, dry weather was expected to continue, giving rise to fire-warning ratings of ”high yellow to orange” in Mpumalanga.
WoF said air crews had flown about 300 hours in the past three days to douse the fires with water.
Bad visibility, caused by smoke, was still hampering aerial operations, Holtzhausen said.
Across the border in Swaziland, two fires were out of control in Usutu and other areas with 2 000ha damaged.
High-risk period
Erwin said by late afternoon: ”All efforts are currently being devoted to putting out the fires and we expect this very high-risk period to continue for the rest of this week.”
Mufamadi said immediate assistance would be the focus of relief efforts.
This included providing shelter, food and blankets, putting out fires and assessing damage.
Damage estimates would indicate resources needed to come from national government as well as local government, Mufamadi said.
”Wherever assistance is required it will be given.”
Mufamadi said the remoteness of some of the affected areas suggested that the fires were caused by human neglect.
Earlier on Monday, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) said there was an animal ”emergency” in parts of Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.
”The injured and burnt animals need to be found and assisted,” said the NSPCA.
”Large quantities of eye ointment are being sourced. Animals in captivity need to be checked. This could be chickens in coops, tethered animals or those in kraals, dogs that may have been chained — even birds.”
The council said many animals had burnt to death or had to be put down because they were too severely injured.
Also on Monday, York Timber Organisation said substantial damage to timber plantations in Mpumalanga, Swaziland and KwaZulu-Natal would compound long-term softwood lumber shortages facing South Africa.
York chief executive Lance Cooper said that fire had damaged about 6 000ha of York’s 90 000ha.
A portion of a sawmill near Graskop was also destroyed.
Erwin conveyed condolences to the families of those who died in the forest fires.
”We also sympathise with all those who have lost farms, homes and business infrastructure during this ordeal,” he said. – Sapa