Fire fighters expected back from Canada
The South African fire fighters who went on strike in Canada over a pay dispute were expected to land back at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday morning.
The group of 301 fire fighters left for Alberta two weeks ago to help fight run-away veldfires, but accused the Working on Fire organisation of not paying them their full wage.
Albi Modise from the department of environmental affairs meanwhile called on South Africans not to condemn the group.
"The fire fighters would arrive today and part of the plan is for the Minister, Edna Molewa, jointly with the management of Working On Fire to meet with them," Modise said.
He added that the group did a sterling job of fighting run-away fires in Canada and that most of the young people were drawn from disadvantaged communities.
"There should be a way of opening platforms of engagement to adopt appropriate mechanism through which they could raise legitimate concerns in the future," Modise said.
This international debacle has sparked much criticism while the fire fighters remain adamant that they were not paid according to the contracts that they signed with Working On Fire.
"We call upon the nation not to condemn the strike action by the fire fighters, as this would demoralise them," he said.
Modise also indicated that they will continue to engage directly with the Canadian government to establish a solid working relationship that would allow Working On Fire to continue their work in that country.
He said that the withdrawal was not only a result of the strike action but also the ongoing down pours in the region that they worked in.
No flight information could be confirmed but the fire fighters were expected back on home soil on Tuesday morning.