MEC Anton Bredell commends all role players for successful prosecution of Paarl wildfire arsonist

Anton Bredell, Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affair sand Development Planning today congratulated Drakenstein Municipality Law Enforcement officials who apprehended the arsonist behind the 2024 Paarl Mountain wildfire. The excellent work of local law enforcement ultimately resulted in the successful prosecution under the National Veld and Forest Fire Act 101 of 1998.

“This conviction sends a strong message that arson is a serious crime and there are consequences if you are found guilty. Not only are wildfires an environmental threat, but it also holds enormous risks for human life as well as potential infrastructure damages. Adding to this is the inherently dangerous work of managing wildfires by our firefighting community. These brave men and women put their lives at risk to protect affected communities,” said Minister Bredell.

Colin Deiner, Chief Director: Disaster Management and Fire/Rescue Services for the Western Cape Disaster Risk Management Centre said: “We welcome the sentence handed down by the court. The Western Cape Government, together with Cape Nature, SAN Parks, City of Cape Town and the 5 District Municipalities spend approximately R100-million per year in combating wildfires which, if left uncontrolled, could cause several billions of rands of damage to property and result in the deaths of humans and animals. More than 90% of the wildfires that our services respond to in the summer season are caused by human agency. In most cases this is due to negligence, however, a number of these are started maliciously and these are usually the most devastating. We recognise the difficulty in identifying the perpetrators of these crimes. It is for this reason that we are deeply appreciative of the work of the community and law enforcement in this case.”

The Paarl Mountain fire started on 30 November 2024 and spread over 123 hectares of mixed vegetation. 

Strong winds led to the fire spreading quickly, putting houses and other infrastructure at severe risk. Due to the fast response and work by the Cape Winelands District Municipality and Drakenstein Municipality firefighting units, injuries and destruction of property was prevented.

The arsonist was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment, suspended for five years.

Enquiries:
Wouter Kriel
Spokesperson for Minister Anton Bredell
Western Cape Minister of Local Government, Environmental Affairs and Development Planning
Cell: 079 694 3085
E-mail: Wouter.kriel@westerncape.gov.za

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