Support Overberg firefighting year-round – donations made this winter help equip and support firefighters during fire season.
WELCOME TO THE HOME OF THE
GREATER OVERBERG FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
registered as the Fire Protection Association of the Overberg
The goFPA helps land users to practice Integrated Fire Management on their land. Through the goFPA, landowners in the Overberg, at the tip of Africa, can now work strategically with partners to better prevent veldfires and react quicker and more effectively to suppress veldfire.
The goFPA operates across the Overberg area in the Western Cape of South Africa, currently covering more than 660,000 hectares (about 60% of the district).
GO fire prevention
The Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association (goFPA) helps land users predict, prevent, manage and extinguish veldfires. Veldfires move through landscapes – destroying property, livelihoods, biodiversity and sometimes even lives.
08-10 June 2026
Veldfires in the Overberg
We constantly update our Facebook page – so check our feed here or follow us on Facebook for the latest information related to fires and other goFPA news and events.
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08-10 June 2026
- Bredasdorp 26%
- 33%
- 37%
- Caledon 28%
- 33%
- 34%
- Gansbaai 22%
- 26%
- 26%
- Grabouw 30%
- 35%
- 39%
- Hermanus 24%
- 26%
- 30%
- Kleinmond 27%
- 32%
- 37%
- Swellendam 32%
- 34%
- 36%
- Villiersdorp 31%
- 41%
- 36%
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Theewaterskloof Municipality
Swellendam Municipality - SWEMun
Cape Agulhas MunicipalityDraft Fire Risk Policy Open for Comment
The Overstrand Municipality invites all community members to comment on the Draft Policy for Maintaining Fire-Wise Vacant Erven. This policy establishes the minimum standards and guidelines required to manage and control fire risks caused by overgrown vacant erven in residential areas and along urban edges.
The primary goal of this policy is to reduce the risk of fires starting and spreading from vacant erven. It applies to both municipal and privately owned land. The focus is on keeping land safe and preventing dangerous build-up of dry and combustible vegetation.
The policy also:
• Requires steps to reduce fire hazards from overgrown vegetation on vacant erven
• Gives effect to key laws such as the Constitution, the Fire Brigade Services Act, and the National Veld and Forest Fire Act
• Sets clear responsibilities for landowners and the Municipality
• Allows for the protection of biodiversity, but only where it does not increase fire risk, based on site-specific checks
• Ensures all vacant land meets minimum fire safety standards, whether vegetation is alien or indigenous
Minimum Fire Safety Standards:
To ensure fire safety and responsible land management, the policy sets the following minimum maintenance standards for all erven:
• Vegetation Height: Grass and indigenous groundcover must be maintained at a maximum height of 500mm (0.5m).
• Tree Maintenance: The area beneath tree canopies must be cleared to a height of 1.5m, with all deadwood and combustible accumulation removed.
• Invasive Species: All invasive alien plants (IAP) must be eradicated. Stumps must be treated with approved herbicides to prevent regrowth.
• Fire Breaks: A minimum 2-metre fire break is required on urban perimeters. Properties adjacent to thatched roof structures require a minimum 10-metre fire break at all times.
• Protected Species: Special provisions apply to protected species such as Milkwood trees. Pruning is limited to 25% of the canopy (up to 1.5m from ground level). Topping for view enhancement is strictly prohibited.
• Environmental Protection: Clearing must not result in soil erosion, land destabilisation, or obstruction of natural drainage systems.
• Waste Management: All cut vegetation must be removed from the property or disposed of at approved municipal facilities within prescribed timeframes. No accumulation or dumping on site or adjacent land is permitted.
• Ongoing Maintenance: Landowners are required to maintain erven in a continuous state of compliance, not as a once-off seasonal activity.
• High-Risk Areas: Enhanced standards apply in identified fire-risk zones and environmentally sensitive interfaces.
Responsibilities:
Landowners are legally required to maintain their properties in a condition that does not pose a fire hazard.
• Inspections: Authorised municipal fire officials may enter properties to conduct inspections and issue 14-day compliance notices.
• Compliance Process: Non-compliance may result in follow-up notices and municipal intervention where necessary.
• Municipal Intervention: Where landowners fail to comply, the Municipality may appoint contractors to clear the property in accordance with prescribed standards.
• Cost Recovery: All costs, including contractor fees and administrative charges, will be recovered from the landowner and billed to the municipal account.
• Methods: Manual clearing methods are required in sensitive or protected areas. Heavy machinery that disturbs soil structure, such as bulldozers, is not permitted in such areas.
How to Comment:
Copies of the draft policy are available for inspection at all public libraries within the municipality and on the official website: www.overstrand.gov.za > Documents open for public comment or Draft Policy www.overstrand.gov.za/document/policies/draft-policies/
• Closing Date: 13 June 2026
• Submit Comments To: Chief Lester Smith at lestersmith@overstrand.gov.za
Issued by:
Overstrand Municipal Manager, Dr Dean O’Neill
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#WINTER PLANNING
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
#FIREJARGON 101
#BURNPERMITS
FIRE-FIGHTING SERVICES
BECOME A MEMBER
FIRE INSURANCE:
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
2024/25
ANNUAL REPORT
WHAT WE DO
The Greater Overberg Fire Protection Association actively works to prevent and control veldfires during fire season over the hot summer months. A lot of our work takes place before the fire season even starts. We help land users in the Overberg to meet their legal requirements. We provide training to land users and their teams and we facilitate fire management planning, like helping with firebreak planning and the signing of agreements between neighbours. All of this forms part of our Integrated Fire Management assistance.
BECOME A goFPA MEMBER
Land users sign up to the goFPA voluntarily. Signing up is easy.
Members pay an annual fee determined by the size of the property which is used to enhance legal compliance and integrated fire management activities.
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN OUR WORLD
Get our latest news here
goFPA Vacancy: Extension Support Officer
Based in the Overberg district, Bredasdorp.
Wat is ’n “Fire Management Unit”?
’n FMU van die Groter Overberg Brandbeskermingsvereniging (goFPA). Dit bestaan uit ’n
What is a Fire Management Unit (FMU)?
What is a Fire Management Unit (FMU)? A Fire Management Unit of the Greater Overberg Fire Protection
SUPPORT #FIREFIGHTERS BATTLING
THE OVERBERG FIRES.
All funds raised will SUPPORT fire-fighters battling the overwhelming Overberg fires. ALL monies raised will be: – used for making the fire lines more bearable, including; – cellphone airtime to talk to their families at home; – foodstuff like ice to keep their drinks cold, that warm meal to supplement their ration packs, and any other essentials. goFPA is a registered PBO.
GIVE
You can get involved by providing goods to energise our fire-fighters. Here’s a list of non-perishable items you can drop off – that help sustain our fire-fighters working hard to protect our homes and nature
DONATE
Donations are made through the secure PayFast system.
SNAPSCAN
reduction | readiness | response | recovery
IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS FOR MEMBERS
CONNECT WITH US
Follow us on
Twitter @OverbergFPA
Facebook @goFPA
Instagram @OverbergFPA
for fire news & updates
and other Partners