IN October, a state of the art fire station will start operations in King William's Town, creating at least 200 jobs for local residents along the way.

Speaking at the sod turning for the facility on 24 January, the portfolio head of engineering services, Zukiswa Faku, said: "At least 200 jobs opportunities will be created by the end of this year through the construction of this fire station."

Allaying concerns, she stressed that the new station would not substitute the one in Dimbaza; it was being built to have an additional fire station in the area.

"King William's Town has lots of rural areas and it has been a challenge in these areas to have a proper fire truck to help with bushfires, houses burning and other fires."

Before work could begin, there were some challenges to overcome, such as employing service providers and budget issues. Faku added that the project would benefit the King William's Town community at large, including residents, businesses, villages and farmers.

The building, to cost R10-million, will be erected on the corner of Woodhouse and Cambridge streets.

Vuyani Lwana, the interim executive director of municipal services, explained what could be expected from the investment: "The fire station is set to accommodate diverse functions, including housing, recreation, administration, training, community education and hazardous material storage."

The need to minimise response times was behind the decision to build a second fire station in King William's Town.

There will be an administration and office area, fire engine bays, a service area, and external and associated works for electrical and mechanical installations.

In addition, Buffalo City's fire engine fleet has also increased, with two new 37m high rise fire engines and two 10 000-litre water tanks added to the inventory.

One of each will serve King William's Town and the other pair will be in East London.

In conclusion, the ward councillor, Leon Mentoor, said: "This is a step in the right direction. As the community of King William's Town we can now feel [we are] part of the metro."

Basic services should be taken seriously by the city, he said, adding: "The King William's Town community should also be considered and [be] part of the city."