PLETTENBERG BAY NEWS - While Bitou firefighters work around the clock to deal with emergencies, reports suggest that these local heroes have not been paid their overtime for the past three months.

Local councillors have raised concerns after receiving complaints from firefighters about their payment backlog.

Councillor Dave Swart said in a statement that the fire department is still owed overtime compensation for March, May and June.

"Just after the municipal June 2021 payday, I was advised that the fire department has still not received their March 2021 overtime and were also still owed their May 2021 overtime. When I asked the municipal manager on 30 June why this was, he advised me on the same day that Human Resources were busy with an investigation and were awaiting confirmation from Payroll [about] why the overtime was not paid," Swart said.

Fast forward almost two weeks and Swart was advised that the payments had still not been made for the two months. It later came to light that the same issue persisted for June.

Swart said his questions were prompted by a resident who questioned the fact that money had been spent on beautifying the local waste transfer station in Kwanokuthula with a planted grass berm and signage, while the fire department had not been paid.

This was further criticised when two fires swept through Qolweni and Kurland over the weekend, leaving more than 50 informal homes gutted and claiming the lives of two. It is believed that the Kurland Fire Station's night shifts were cut in March this year. It is believed that the Kurland fire could have been brought under control sooner, had a crew been on duty in the area.

Bitou municipal spokesperson Andile Namntu said he was working on a response following questions from KPH this week. His response had not been received by the time of going to print.

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