What does Tshwane’s by-law actually expect for fire-fighting equipment?
Every premises owner in Tshwane must keep fire-fighting equipment and service installations in good working condition through a competent, SABS-registered person, with portable and mobile extinguishers and hose reels serviced to SABS 0105/SABS 1475, and every installation inspected by a registered person at least every 12 months. As in Johannesburg, the paperwork obligation goes further than most owners expect: a comprehensive service record must be kept and submitted to the Service every 12 months, not just held on file. Whoever services the equipment must certify it’s functional in writing, or notify the Service immediately if it can’t be readily repaired — and failing to comply with the record-keeping section on its own is a separate offence.
Premises holding a certificate of registration or a spraying permit carry a further, more specific equipment obligation: fire extinguishers at a minimum 9 kg/9 litre capacity, roughly one per 100 m², hose reels connected to a water supply capable of 0,5 litres per second at 300 kPa, hydrants at roughly one per 1,000 m², and an approved sprinkler system for any above-ground facility of 9 m³ or larger. The Service can require a different extinguisher type or a greater number where it considers the premises an exceptional hazard — which means a generic, one-size-fits-all extinguisher count can leave a business under-equipped for its actual risk profile without anyone realising.
When does storing flammable liquid or gas become a regulated activity in Tshwane?
Tshwane sets its thresholds by hazard class rather than a single blanket figure, and they tighten quickly depending on flash point and gas type:
- Flammable gases: exempt only up to 100 kg total cylinder capacity; non-flammable gases up to 333 kg.
- Flammable liquids: exemption ranges from 100 litres for the lowest flash-point band up to 1,100 litres for higher flash-point liquids — four separate bands, each with its own limit.
Cross these and a certificate of registration becomes mandatory, along with construction and safety standards for how the substance is stored — specific ventilation, fire-rated construction and electrical restrictions apply, though the exact dimensions aren’t the useful part to know upfront. What matters is recognising that a workshop, print shop or small manufacturing site can be over threshold well before it looks like an “industrial” storage operation.
Which dangerous goods categories need to be registered in Tshwane?
The by-law groups hazardous substances into nine classes — explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, oxidising agents and organic peroxides, toxic and infective substances, radioactive materials, corrosive and caustic substances, and miscellaneous substances — each with its own exemption quantity. Some categories, like fireworks, toxic gases, pyrophoric substances and Group I organic peroxides, have no exemption at all; others allow several hundred kilograms before registration kicks in. A business storing more than one category at once needs to check each threshold individually — they don’t combine into a single allowance.
Does your business need a spraying permit in Tshwane?
Tshwane’s trigger is wider than “vehicle respray shop.” The by-law prohibits spraying, coating, plating or epoxy-coating any vehicle or vehicle part, or any other article, object or building — indoors or outdoors — with a Group III hazardous substance, a liquid compound of one, or “any other hazardous substance,” without a spraying permit. That reach covers panel beaters and resprayers, but also furniture finishers, powder coaters, sign and display manufacturers, and any operation applying a flammable coating as part of production.
Where a permit is required, it must be displayed prominently in a weatherproof container, stay legible, and show the number of spraying rooms or booths it covers, a serial number, and its period of validity. The by-law then sets a dedicated construction and design standard for the room or booth itself, separate from general storeroom rules — worth knowing this exists as its own compliance category before assuming a general certificate of registration already covers it.
What paperwork does a Tshwane business actually need to keep straight?
Once equipment, storage and any spraying activity are accounted for, three certificates typically follow: a certificate of registration for hazardous substance storage above threshold, a spraying permit for any spray/coating room, and a certificate of fitness for premises used for public gatherings — the smallest concern for most trading businesses, but still worth knowing about. One date worth flagging specifically: certificate of fitness renewal applications are due on or before the first working day of December each year, a fixed annual deadline rather than a rolling anniversary — an easy one to miss if it isn’t on a compliance calendar.
What happens if a Tshwane business gets this wrong?
Any contravention of the by-law — including breaching a condition of a certificate of registration or spraying permit, or ignoring an instruction from a Service member — is an offence, carrying a fine of up to R5,000 or, in default of payment, imprisonment for up to six months. Beyond the criminal penalty, the more immediate operational risk is usually a Service instruction to stop storing, spraying or operating equipment that isn’t compliant — which can shut down the relevant part of a business well before any court date.
FAQ: Tshwane Fire Compliance
How often must fire-fighting equipment be serviced and reported in Tshwane?
At least every 12 months, by a registered competent person — and the resulting service record must be actively submitted to the Service every 12 months, not just kept on file for an inspection.
At what quantity of flammable liquid does a Tshwane business need a certificate of registration?
It depends on the flash point band — thresholds run from 100 litres for the lowest flash-point liquids up to 1,100 litres for higher flash-point liquids, across four separate bands.
Does a powder coating or furniture finishing operation need a spraying permit in Tshwane?
Very likely yes. The by-law’s spraying permit requirement isn’t limited to vehicles — it covers spraying, coating, plating or epoxy-coating any article, object or building with a Group III or other hazardous substance.
When is a Tshwane certificate of fitness renewal due?
On or before the first working day of December each year — a fixed annual deadline, not a rolling renewal tied to the original issue date.
What’s the penalty for non-compliance with Tshwane’s fire by-law?
A fine of up to R5,000, or, in default of payment, imprisonment for up to six months.
Not sure where your Tshwane site actually stands?
A free fire compliance check tells you exactly where your premises stands — equipment, storage, spray areas and paperwork — against what Tshwane’s by-law and SANS 10400 actually require.
Equipment records need someone who knows what “compliant” looks like
Submitting a service record to the Service every year only works if the person maintaining your equipment is actually registered and competent to do it. Our sister company Altramed provides accredited fire warden and fire-fighting training (HWSETA/QCTO). See Altramed Fire-Fighting Training.
This article summarises the City of Tshwane’s Fire Brigade Service By-laws for general guidance and is not legal advice. By-laws are amended from time to time — confirm current requirements with the City of Tshwane Fire and Emergency Services before relying on this summary for a specific site.