21 Aug South Africa’s R1.8bn Working on Fire contract raises questions over capability and continuity

South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has awarded a R1.8bn contract to Tefla Group to manage the national Working on Fire programme, following a court-ordered re-evaluation of the tender. The appointment has prompted questions about specialist capability, procurement and the continuity of South Africa’s wildfire response.

DFFE’s official tender records show that Tefla Group (Pty) Ltd was awarded the contract on 17 April 2026, with a value of R1,801,735,586.61. The tender covers the planning, execution, control and management of the Working on Fire programme, with the new contract running from 1 August 2026 to 5 January 2028.

Working on Fire is a national wildfire-management programme involving the prevention and suppression of veld and forest fires. DFFE says the programme employs more than 5,000 trained firefighters through more than 200 teams across South Africa, making the transition to a new service provider a significant operational undertaking.

The award follows a lengthy legal dispute. The original five-year Working on Fire contract was awarded to the Working on Fire/Kishugu joint venture, but that award was challenged by rival bidders, including Tefla. In April 2025, the Gauteng High Court ordered DFFE to re-evaluate part of the tender after finding that bidders had not been treated fairly. Following the re-evaluation, DFFE awarded the contract to Tefla.

Working on Fire subsequently sought an urgent interdict to prevent the new award from being implemented while its wider legal challenge continued. It argued that DFFE had materially changed the procurement arrangements after bids were submitted, including discussions with Tefla around a shortened implementation period and revised pricing. Working on Fire also argued that implementation could cause significant operational disruption, citing its established firefighting infrastructure, aviation capability and approximately 5,700 Expanded Public Works Programme workers. These were arguments advanced by Working on Fire in the proceedings, rather than findings that the court had established as fact.

DFFE disputed those claims. The department argued that the tender had been re-evaluated within the framework of the original five-year terms of reference following the 2025 court order. It also maintained that discussions concerning a shorter implementation horizon took place after the award and related to budgetary and operational considerations, rather than constituting a new procurement process. DFFE said the bids had been assessed against the advertised requirements and that Tefla had ranked first under the applicable price and preference points system.

Questions have also been raised publicly about Tefla’s specialist experience and operational readiness. AfriForum has sought access to the procurement records, saying it wants greater transparency around how Tefla was evaluated, including its personnel, equipment and capacity to deliver the programme. These are concerns raised by AfriForum and should not be presented as a finding that Tefla is incapable of delivering the contract.

DFFE has defended Tefla’s appointment, saying the company met the requirements of the tender. The department also said it had verified the aircraft identified by Tefla for the aerial firefighting component, confirming that the aircraft existed and was already being used by the then service provider. DFFE said it was not aware of a subcontracting agreement between Tefla and Kishugu Aviation, although it confirmed that Tefla’s bid included an intention to subcontract to designated groups.

With Tefla’s contract now commencing, the focus will increasingly move from the procurement dispute to operational delivery: whether the transition can maintain national wildfire-response capability, support the existing firefighting workforce and provide the equipment, aviation resources and specialist expertise required to manage South Africa’s wildfire risk. DFFE has said that transitional measures are intended to minimise disruption and safeguard the contribution of Working on Fire personnel.