Durban North firefighters carry two identities with equal pride — first responders in moments of crisis, and fathers whose greatest victories often begin at home. This Father’s Day, they reflect on lives shaped by urgency, service and the quiet joy of being role models to their children.
Within the station, routine provides structure to an otherwise unpredictable world. Every shift begins with preparation, but even preparation carries the understanding that it may be interrupted at any moment. It is in this space, between waiting and responding, that the meaning of the job is quietly formed.
Acting station commander Mthokozisi Nene describes a life defined by responsibility both at work and at home.
“A normal day starts with roll call, checking the station and rigs, doing drills, and then waiting for call-outs. But in our line of work, no day is ever really normal. The calls can be anything — accidents, fires, emergencies, all of it hard, dangerous, exciting and sometimes heartbreaking. However, being a role model and having dependants pushes me to always be at my best, because people depend on you, and that has been something that keeps me motivated. At the end of it all, a perfect Father’s Day is just being with my children, sharing time and being grateful.”
At the station, that responsibility is shared across every role, but it is tested most in the moment the alarm sounds, when preparation turns instantly into action.
Leading firefighter Claude Conradie said that the shift from calm to urgency defines the job.
“We do roll call, check equipment, run drills and lectures, and when the bells go, we have to be out within a minute. But my kids see it as scary and cool at the same time. To them I’m Superman. They always ask, ‘Did you save someone today?’ and honestly, that’s the part that stays with you — that your kids look up to you.”
Senior firefighter Sibusiso Dubezane said that the work is rooted in both duty and the example it sets for the next generation.
“A normal day starts with checking equipment, vehicles and gear to make sure everything is ready for emergencies, followed by training, station duties and responding to calls when they come in. My children say I help people and put out fires, and they see the job as both cool and a little scary, but what matters most to me is spending time with them, guiding them to be good people, and knowing that what we do helps others when they need it most.”
Outside the station walls, however, the same uniform takes on a different meaning entirely, one filtered through the eyes of children who often understand more than is said but feel everything more deeply.
Senior firefighter Samuel Govender said that the connection between job and family often appears in the simplest ways — through admiration, imagination and curiosity.
“My nephews think it’s a cool and exciting job, and they even dress up as firefighters and pretend to save the day. It makes me feel so proud to know that I have created such a positive impact on them, and that my job and life inspires them every day.”
Still, beyond the public perception and the noise of emergency calls, there is a quieter emotional thread that runs through every shift — the reflection that follows the work.
Firefighter Zwelihle Sithole said that it is in those moments after the call is over that the meaning of the job settles in.
“Knowing we helped save a life or made a situation safer stays with you. My nephew used to think it was scary, but now he sees it as heroic. He even says firefighters are crazy because we run in while everyone else runs out.”
And yet, despite the intensity of the work, the unpredictability of emergencies and the emotional weight carried after each call, the story always circles back to something simple — family, presence and the way children see their fathers not through danger, but through love.
Across the station, the stories differ in detail but not in feeling. Beneath the helmets and heavy boots are fathers whose children see something lasting and certain, not just uniformed responders, but steady figures of protection and pride. These brave men joins the management and staff of Durban North News in wishing all our readers and advertisers a Happy Fathers Day.
