Fire threatens Weltevrede Fig and Guest Farm

-Carol Campbell-

Team effort and good neighbourliness prevented hundreds of thousand rands damage to the Weltevrede Fig and Guest Farm last month when a devastating fire swept through dry bush perilously close to the orchards and guest houses.

The blaze started near farm labourers’ dwellings late on Thursday, February 8 and soon ran out of control fanned by strong wind in scorching weather. It is suspected the fire was started by children playing with matches.

Suzelle Koorts said her son-in-law, Jaco de Klerk, noticed smoke and raised the alarm.
“By this time the fire was established and moving very quickly through the dry thorn bush towards the farm buildings and the fig trees,” said Suzelle.

When the family realised they would not be able to control the blaze alone they called on their neighbours for help.

Herman Olivier, his sons Pieter and Jaco and their farm workers, Hennie du Plessis, and his farm workers, André and Jan Botes and their farm worker and Piet Swanepoel and his farm workers fought into the night to quell the flames.

The Prince Albert fire brigade was also on the scene to help. In the end it took three days to ensure the fire was out.
Damage was limited to fencing, gate posts and some grazing. Cattle and four horses (Meneertjie, Perudo, Red River and Hio) were evacuated from the camps alongside the burning thorn bush without injury.

For Red River and Hio this was the third time in a year they had been evacuated because of carelessly started fires. Twice last year out-of-control fires swept through their camp on the Weltevrede farm, Witplaat.

“We would have lost everything if this fire had spread any further,” said Suzelle, “To my neighbours and the fire brigade, from Pieter, Liezl, Jaco, Willene and myself, thank-you very much for coming to help us.”