Partnerships
Working on Fire is a South African government-funded, multi-partner organization. The Department of Water and Environmental Affairs provides the main funding and structure for the programme and forms an integral part of the South African Government's future planning for the custodianship of South Africa's natural environment.
 
At the 2011 Parliamentary Budget Vote, Water and Environmental Affairs Minister, Mrs Edna Molewa, named Working on Fire as one of the key job creation programmes and also emphasised the positive social and economic benefits of the programme.
 

Some of our partners include:

  • Department of Environmental Affairs
  • EPWP (Expanded Public Works Programme)
  • Working for Water Programme
  • Natural Resource Management
  • South African National Parks
  • City of Cape Town
  • Fire Protection Associations
  • National and Provincial Conservation Authorities
  • Provincial Disaster Management Authorities
  • Local and district municipalities
  • Private forestry companies (SAPPI, MONDI, KLF, GFP)
  • South African Air Force
  • ESKOM
 

WoF is implemented by the FFA Group of Companies

The WoF programme is administered by the FFA Group, which specialises in integrated fire management internationally. Through FFA Aviation, the FFA provides a fleet of aerial fire fighting aircraft ranging from purpose built Dromader water bombers to helicopters and fixed wing spotter planes, that act as vital "eyes in the sky" communicating with the ground based Incident Commanders. These aircraft work in tandem with WoF wildland fire fighting crews and other resources to suppress unwanted fires wherever they might occur, be it in the mountains of the Western Cape, the forests of Mpumalanga or the Free State grasslands. The FFA also provides Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and support vehicles to the Programme.
Working on Fire also forms an important component of the programmes operating under the Natural Resource Management Programmes (NRMPs) of the Department of Environmental Affairs. Other key programmes include Working for Water, Working for Land, Working for Wetlands and the KwaZulu-Natal Invasive Alien Species Programme.  Their main objectives are to ensure that South Africa addresses its responsibilities relating to water resource management, biological diversity and the functioning of natural systems whilst ensuring meaningful livelihood opportunities for those employed on these Programmes.