In January 2026, the Kouga Municipality in the Eastern Cape was pushed to its breaking point as a series of devastating wildfires—fueled by extreme heat and relentless coastal winds—tore through thousands of hectares of fynbos and residential fringes. At the center of this crisis was Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman, whose leadership style during the disaster broke the traditional mold of local governance. Rather than managing the emergency solely from a remote operations center, Bornman leveraged his personal background as a volunteer firefighter to provide a "boots on the ground" presence that resonated deeply with both emergency responders and the terrified residents of areas like St Francis Bay and Oyster Bay.
Throughout the peak of the crisis, which saw three major fires burning simultaneously, the Mayor became a constant fixture on the front lines. He was frequently seen assisting with the coordination of water-bombing sorties and navigating the smoke-filled roads to assess damage firsthand. This direct involvement allowed him to bypass the usual bureaucratic delays, making real-time decisions regarding the deployment of resources and the mobilization of additional aerial support. His presence served a dual purpose: it provided him with a raw, unfiltered view of the technical challenges facing his crews and acted as a powerful morale booster for firefighters who had been working in grueling conditions for days on end.
Communication played a pivotal role in maintaining public order as the flames threatened critical infrastructure. Bornman, alongside Deputy Mayor Timothy Jantjies, utilized social media to deliver frequent, unscripted video updates directly from the fire lines. These broadcasts, often filmed while the Mayor was covered in soot or drenched by drifting spray from water-bombers, provided a level of transparency and urgency that traditional press releases could not match. By sharing the grim reality of the fire’s progression alongside moments of levity—such as his viral interactions with weary crews—Bornman managed to mitigate public panic and foster a sense of shared resilience across the municipality.
The scale of the response necessitated a massive logistical undertaking, which Bornman overseen through a Joint Operations Centre that unified municipal teams, the Sarah Baartman District Municipality, and Working on Fire. Under his direction, the municipality facilitated a R3-million investment in private aerial support, resulting in over 1.2 million liters of water being dropped on the inferno over the course of a week. He also worked in close synergy with humanitarian organizations like Gift of the Givers to ensure that the physical needs of the crews and displaced residents were met. This collaborative framework ensured that despite the loss of thousands of hectares of land and significant damage to power lines and homes, the loss of life was kept to a tragic minimum.
As the fires were eventually contained by mid-January, Bornman’s leadership left a lasting impression on the political landscape of the Eastern Cape. He framed the recovery not just as a mechanical rebuilding of infrastructure, but as a testament to the "Kouga Spirit," praising the local farmers and residents who rallied to support the emergency services. While the fires highlighted the ongoing threats of arson and the dangers of invasive vegetation, Bornman’s hands-on approach during the 2026 crisis solidified his reputation as a leader who leads from the front, setting a new benchmark for disaster management in South African local government.
