Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa on Monday lauded pilot Hendrick Willem ‘Bees’ Marias for exceptional work fighting raging fires in the Cape this past week. Marais lost his life after the helicopter he was piloting crashed while battling a fire at the Cape Point Nature Reserve on Sunday.
“It is with great sadness that we must announce that one of the Working on Fire helicopters which has been active in the Cape Town fires, has made a forced landing and that the pilot of the helicopter, Mr Hendrik Willem Marais, was killed in the accident,” said Molewa in a statement.
“I wish to express the government’s and my personal condolences to the pilot’s wife, Mrs Jackie Marais, family, friends and his colleagues in the Working on Fire programme.”
The fire, which started in Muizenberg on Sunday, spread to Ou Kaapse Weg, Chapman’s Peak, Hout Bay, and Tokai. Over 500 people were evacuated during the blaze and over 2000 people stepped up to fight it. Efforts to fight the fire were reduced on Thursday as the fire was brought under control.
“As a nation, we salute the bravery and service of these dedicated firefighters, and mourn the loss of Mr Marais in the course of duty,” the Minister added.
Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille extended her condolences on Sunday:
“The public safety and aviation fraternity has lost a great pilot. We salute him and pay tribute to him for the contribution that he made in saving lives and protecting property.”
The cause of the crash is being probed by the Civil Aviation Authority.
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