Cape Town – The City of Cape Town has appointed Clinton Manuel as the new chief fire officer of the metro’s Fire and Rescue Service.
His appointment comes seven months after the retirement of his predecessor, Ian Schnetler.
Manuel, who joined the Cape Town Municipal Fire Brigade as a learner firefighter in February 1989, has a career in firefighting spanning more than three decades.
He has served at numerous fire stations in various capacities since joining the Fire Service, including Lakeside, Epping, Salt River, Roeland Street, Gugulethu and the Epping Training Centre (later renamed the Fire & Rescue Service Training Academy).
Manuel said he was proud and humbled by the appointment.
“I am incredibly proud, but humbled by the appointment, and that the City has entrusted the Fire and Rescue Service to my leadership. I will do my utmost to repay that trust.
“I want to thank my predecessor for the solid foundation he built, and I call on each and every employee in the Fire and Rescue Service, but also all of our residents, to work together in ensuring that we continue building a strong and resilient Fire Service and make our city safer,” he said.
Manuel’s achievements include becoming the first-ever board member from Africa to serve on the Certificate Assembly Board of Governors of IFSAC and turning around the Knysna Fire Service during his three-year tenure as Fire Chief, including drafting a Fire Service By-law.
Mayco member for safety and security, JP Smith said: “Chief Manuel has a stellar track record and I have no doubt that Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service is in good hands. He knows the service inside out, he is familiar with the hundreds of firefighters under his watch, and he has a passion for training, development and advancement – all of the things that will help take our service to the next level. We are already one of the best, if not the best functioning Fire and Rescue Service in the country, and I look forward to seeing what additional plaudits our new Chief will lead us to.”
Cape Times