Some Johannesburg residents are forced to rely on a private firefighting organisation, Fire Ops SA to assist in emergencies because the city’s fire stations are under-equipped.

After several critiques by residents and a court of law, there has been little to no improvement in the City of Johannesburg’s firefighting capabilities in recent years, opening a gap in the market for private fire brigades.

Financial services company Discovery and Advanced Emergency Management Services have launched a private firefighting service in South Africa. The group said the service will be a value-added benefit ...