Sasol and the Govan Mbeki Municipality Community Awareness and Emergency Response (GMM CAER) Committee encouraged young women to see themselves as the next generation of firefighting and emergency-response professionals as they joined forces for Fire Prevention Week 2026.

The partnership combined career development for female learners with practical support for frontline emergency personnel, highlighting the importance of preparing future responders while strengthening the services that protect local communities.

The initiatives included the Girl Child – Fire Department Experience, held from 6 to 8 October, and the donation of personal protective equipment (PPE) to GMM’s Emergency Services Department.

Opening doors for aspiring female firefighters

The Girl Child – Fire Department Experience welcomed 20 female learners daily from Grades 10 to 12, aged 16 and older, from three local secondary schools.

The participating schools were Ikhethelo Secondary School in Bethal, Evander High School in Evander and KI Thwala Secondary School in eMbalenhle.

Supported by Sasol’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) team, the programme aimed to challenge gender stereotypes in a traditionally male-dominated profession and introduce young women to opportunities in firefighting and emergency response.

The learners visited an exhibition featuring stalls from various role players, where they gained insight into the work performed by emergency services. The programme included live firefighting demonstrations, fire safety awareness training and exposure to emergency-response operations.

They also had opportunities to interact with professional firefighters and learn about the qualifications, training and career pathways available in the sector.

‘Girls can be firefighters too’

One of the key messages came from the Fire Chief of Lekwa Local Municipality, who shared her career journey and encouraged the learners to pursue their ambitions without letting gender stereotypes stand in their way.

She explained that becoming a Fire Chief had required a dream, hard work, discipline and a commitment to serving others.

Firefighting, she reminded the learners, is about far more than extinguishing flames. It involves saving lives, protecting families and helping people through some of the most difficult moments they may experience.

Her message challenged the perception that firefighting is exclusively a man’s job. Whether serving as a firefighter, rescue specialist, officer or Fire Chief, women have a place in the profession.

She urged the learners to work hard at school, look after their health, develop confidence and learn to work as part of a team.

She also expressed the hope that more young women would enter the fire service and that, one day, a young woman from the community would be leading a firefighting crew responding to an emergency.

Her message was one of courage, preparation and determination, encouraging the learners to recognise that their gender should not prevent them from pursuing a career in emergency services.

A moment of silence was also observed in remembrance of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), adding a further message about the need to protect women and girls and build safer communities.

CAER chairperson highlights shared responsibility

GMM CAER chairperson Neels de Klerk emphasised the important role that different services and community stakeholders play in emergency response.

His address highlighted that emergency response extends beyond the work of the fire department. Police, traffic services, disaster management, firefighters and other role players all contribute to protecting the public and responding when emergencies occur.

The involvement of these different services in CAER reflects the importance of cooperation and coordinated action when dealing with threats to community safety.

De Klerk also encouraged the learners to become active participants in spreading safety information. He demonstrated how they could find and follow the CAER Facebook page, explaining that the community has an important role to play in helping safety messages reach a wider audience.

By following the page, sharing its information and telling friends and family about its content, residents can help strengthen public awareness and ensure that important messages reach more people.

He also acknowledged the person who initiated the idea of bringing school learners to the event, praising her efforts and the teamwork that helped make the programme possible.

His remarks reinforced the broader purpose of the initiative: community safety depends not only on the professionals who respond to emergencies, but also on public awareness, cooperation and a willingness to take responsibility.

PPE donation supports frontline personnel

Alongside the youth development initiative, Sasol donated essential personal protective equipment to GMM’s Emergency Services Department.

The donation included firefighting helmets with visors, boots, balaclavas and specialised firefighting gloves.

According to Sasol, the equipment will support the municipality’s 75 emergency services staff members, whose protective gear experiences significant wear and tear under the demanding conditions in which they work.

Appropriate protective equipment is essential for personnel who face hazardous environments while responding to fires and other emergencies. The donation is intended to help address the need for replacement gear and support the safety of those responsible for protecting residents and property.

The handover demonstrates another dimension of the partnership between Sasol and the municipality: investing not only in future emergency leaders, but also in the people currently serving on the frontline.

Building safer and more inclusive communities

Fire Prevention Week 2026 ran from 4 to 10 October, providing an opportunity to promote fire safety, strengthen emergency preparedness and encourage greater community involvement.

By combining career exposure for female learners with practical support for emergency personnel, Sasol and GMM CAER addressed both the future development of emergency services and the needs of existing responders.

Organisers are exploring opportunities to extend the Girl Child – Fire Department Experience to more schools, potentially allowing additional learners to benefit from similar exposure in future.

The initiative highlights the value of partnerships between industry, local government, emergency services, schools and communities in promoting safety and creating opportunities for young people.

For the learners who attended, the experience offered more than an introduction to firefighting. It showed them that emergency services offer a range of career opportunities, that women can take up leadership positions in the field, and that building safer communities is a responsibility shared by everyone.