Fidelity offers private fire services as municipal options collapse

The Fidelity Services Group is expanding its SecureFire service, marking yet another private sector expansion into a service that the state has failed to run efficiently.

Fidelity SecureFire is a subscription-based private fire response network.

It originally started as an initiative in Gauteng in September 2023, a week after a fire engulfed an illegally occupied government-owned building in Marshalltown, Johannesburg.

77 people were tragically killed in the incident and 88 others were injured, putting the huge risks of fires in the city into the spotlight.

Since launch, Fidelity noted that the SecureFire service has rapidly evolved into a countrywide fire protection model that delivers coordinated support to households and businesses across South Africa.

Wahl Bartmann, CEO of Fidelity Services Group said the “tiered response model” was built to scale with need, helping to support local firefighting efforts.

“It allows us to respond efficiently and effectively, while also augmenting the local council’s efforts,” he said.

“By being first on scene with trained responders and real-time information, we stabilise incidents early, secure environments, and create a safer, more co-ordinated response platform for all parties.”

SecureFire’s three-tiered response system includes the following:

• First Responders: Fidelity ADT armed response officers, deployed via over 800 vehicles nationwide, are equipped to extinguish incipient fires, assist with evacuation, secure the scene, and provide real-time intelligence within minutes
• Second Responders: Rapid Intervention Vehicles (RIVs) capable of suppressing small to medium-sized fires
• Third Responders: Full-scale fire engines and specialised units for high-risk or large-scale emergencies.

The group said that SecureFire has already shown operational value, with over 850 incident responses completed.

The service, which is already active in Cape Town, Gauteng, Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, and Bloemfontein, will expand to the following areas on 1 July 2025.

• Stellenbosch
• Paarl
• Worcester
• Hermanus

Over the next 8 months, the service will expand to these other areas, with more regions to follow:

• Polokwane,
• Pietermaritzburg,
• Nelspruit,
• Richards Bay,
• Witbank,
• Rustenburg,
• George,
• Jeffreys Bay,
• Kimberley,
• Middelburg,
• Newcastle,
• Plettenberg Bay,
• Port Shepstone,
• Vryheid,
• Welkom,
• Klerksdorp,
• Heidelberg, and
• The Vaal Triangle

“Go where the risk is real. Deliver reliable fire protection to every contracted customer. And stand ready to support communities whenever lives or property are in danger,” said Bartmann.

Every SecureFire deployment is backed by the 24/7 Fidelity Fire National Command Centre, which uses real-time data, GIS mapping and fleet analytics to ensure optimal deployment and resource allocation.

The service also offers fire prevention solutions, fire maintenance and installation contracts, compliance inspections, and digital reporting.

The service is available via a monthly subscription, starting from less than R2 per day, with contracted customers able to activate the service by calling 08600.

Private sector keeps stepping in

While the group has stressed that it is not replacing the role of public fire services—instead supporting them when required or requested—it is no secret that the public fire services have been under strain.

In Gauteng alone, the three major metropolitan municipalities face a shortage of fire trucks and skills, hampering their ability to respond to crises in time.

Recent reports point to big problems in the City of Johannesburg especially, where the metro has now budgeted approximately R400 million over the next three years to address these shortages.

The city recorded 144 fire-related deaths per 100,000 residents in the 2023/24 financial year.

In 2024, Johannesburg had 11 trucks for over 6 million residents, which many private firefighting entities believed to be overstatements.

The problem also extends into rural areas, with Fire Protection Associations (FPAs) in South Africa warning that the government is not providing adequate support.

FPAs are responsible for managing wildfire risks, but often struggle due to understaffed fire departments, limited resources and mismanagement.

Eric Stoch, Chairman of the North West Umbrella Fire Protection Association (NWUFPA), said that this national security crisis threatens millions of South African lives and the nation’s food security.

Although Fidelity’s Bartmann said that its new fire service is not designed to replace existing services, it only highlights the lack of state-owned firefighting resources and the need for private services.

South Africans are often hit with double costs, as they pay tax for inefficient government services and private services.

This can be seen with the intense prevalence of private security companies operating in the nation’s major cities, like Fidelity.

In recent times, load shedding forced many households and businesses to spend large amounts on backup power systems, like solar panels. This was a key reason for the reduction in load shedding.

Constant water outages in the country, mainly in Johannesburg, are also forcing many to use alternative backup water systems, including water tanks and boreholes.

These issues can often worsen the divide in South Africa, where the wealthy few have the resources available for extra services, while the vulnerable have to use unreliable government services.