NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT CENTRE TO HOST NATIONAL FIRE SERVICES INDABA

The National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) will host the annual National Fire Services Indaba in Bloemfontein, bringing together key stakeholders from across government, fire services, emergency management, organised local government, traditional leadership, academia, and the private sector.

South Africa faces a complex and worsening fire risk environment, driven by rapid urbanisation, the rapid growth of informal settlements, expansion of the wildland–urban interface, climate variability, and uneven municipal capacity. Fire incidents continue to result in devastating human, economic and infrastructural losses. Year after year, South Africa records financial losses that exceed into billions of rands, a figure that excludes uninsured incidents and the long-term social impact on affected communities.

Against this backdrop, the NDMC convenes the Fire Services Indaba annually to strengthen coordination, policy alignment, and implementation across the sector.

Under the theme “Building Resilient Communities: Collaborative Strategies for Fire Risk Reduction,” this year’s Indaba provides a dynamic platform for collaboration, innovation, and knowledge-sharing. Hosted in partnership with the Free State Department of COGTA and the Mangaung Metro , the Indaba will address critical challenges, emerging risks, and the evolving future of fire and disaster management.

The Indaba supports a decisive shift from reactive fire response to a proactive, prevention-led and predictive fire risk reduction approach. This shift is anchored in the White Paper on Fire Services and aligned to the priorities of the National Development Plan (NDP), particularly those related to building safer communities, strengthening state capability, and improving disaster resilience.

The 2026 Indaba will thus focus on: • Strengthening municipal fire service capacity and governance.

• Enhancing intergovernmental coordination and mutual aid agreements.

• Improving fire risk profiling, early warning systems, and data-driven planning.

• Addressing fire risks in informal settlements and high-density areas.

• Advancing training standards, professionalisation, and compliance with national norms and standards.

• Promoting partnerships with the private sector, insurers, and community structures to improve fire prevention and public awareness.

Members of the media are invited to cover the Indaba scheduled to take place as follows:

*Date* : 26 - 27 February

*Time* : 09h00

*Venue* : President Hotel, Bloemfontein, Free State Province.

Ends –

Mr Legadima Leso

Head of Communications – CoGTA

066 479 9904

Issued by the Department of Cooperative Governance