​The City of Johannesburg Executive Mayor, Cllr Dada Morero, together with the MMC for Public Safety, Cllr Mgcini Tshwaku, MMC for Development Planning, Cllr Eunice Mgcina, acting head of Public Safety Commissioner Patrick Jaca and EMS Chief Andries Mucavele, officially opened the new Central Fire Station in the Johannesburg CBD on Thursday, 2 October 2025.

The City’s Emergency Management Services (EMS) is mandated to protect lives and property. With Johannesburg’s population rapidly growing, the need for modern, efficient emergency services has become urgent.

The old Central Fire Station, built in the early 1900s and now a proclaimed heritage site, has deteriorated due to age and high maintenance costs. A structural survey revealed foundation damage, making it unsafe. Despite this, the station continued to handle over 11,000 emergency calls annually in the city centre.

To sustain and improve emergency response, the City has invested in this state-of-the-art facility, constructed by the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA). The station will serve the inner city and support nearby stations in Berea, Fairview, and Malvern. A new fire engine and support vehicles will also be deployed to strengthen response capacity.

The station is home to 50 highly skilled firefighters, trained to respond to fires, hazardous materials, building collapses, and water-related emergencies. It also houses the City’s 11th BESAFE Centre, where the EMS Public Information, Education and Relations (PIER) team will run life and fire safety programmes.

In partnership with Swim SA, the station’s swimming pool will be used to teach children vital water safety skills.

“The Central Fire Station is more than a building,” said officials. “It represents our commitment to creating safer communities through faster, professional emergency response.”

The City calls on residents to safeguard this vital facility and work with EMS to build a safer Johannesburg for all.