Kouga firefighter conquers the Toughest Firefighter Alive challenge

KOUGA – It took a terrible car crash – and the terrifying moment the wreck burst into flames – to steer Kouga Local Municipality firefighter Benito Wabanie, 31, toward his true calling.

Today, he speaks with quiet pride as he shares that, on his second attempt as an individual contestant, he has completed the Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) competition in George – one of the most demanding tests of endurance, strength, and courage a firefighter can face.

Born in Gqeberha and raised in Knysna, Wabanie once dreamed of a future as a mechanic. But life had other plans. Everything shifted in the split second after a horrific accident.

“The car caught fire, and I ran to a nearby petrol station for a fire extinguisher, only to find it did not work,” he recalls. “That moment changed everything. That is where my journey to becoming a firefighter began.”

His path – though winding – led him closer to the calling he had not yet recognised. After school, he kept himself focused and determined: working in a spaza shop, enrolling for boiler making in Mossel Bay, studying firefighting in Welkom, serving a three-month contract as a general worker at Knysna Municipality, and even driving a taxi. Each chapter strengthened his determination to live a life of purpose.

“Before Covid-19 hit, I was a volunteer firefighter at George Municipality, and on my off days I worked on a taxi to earn a little bit of money. I then got contracted as a firefighter during the fire season in Ladismith in the Western Cape,” he says. The work felt right – like home.

Then, in 2021, opportunity finally met preparation. A firefighter post was advertised in Humansdorp.

“I applied and after a long time, I was phoned for a fitness test and interview. Then everything went silent again,” he recalls. “The post was re-advertised and I applied again. I was invited to do the fitness test and the interview again.

“And on a Friday morning, I received the call that I was successful. I had to rush from Knysna to get to Jeffreys Bay before 13:00 to sign my paperwork.”

In June 2021, Wabanie officially joined the Kouga Local Municipality Fire Department – fully stepping into the purpose that had been pursuing him since the day he faced flames without a working fire extinguisher.

But his journey was far from over.

In 2022, he entered the Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) South Africa competition for the first time. The course pushed him to his limits, and despite his courage, he was unable to finish.

The TFA competition is a thrilling and punishing event that brings together firefighters from across the country to test skills and endurance under pressure. Participants face obstacle courses, ladder climbs, hose drags, and equipment hauls – all designed to simulate real-life firefighting challenges and showcase strength, agility, and resilience.

Three years later, Wabanie returned – stronger, wiser, and more determined than ever.

“In 2025, I tried again and reached the goal I’d set: to complete it,” he says. “It is not always about winning but about competing.

“What was so special is that my mother and my deputy fire chief, Marlin Sodien, were there to cheer me on. Although our Manager of Fire and Disaster Management, Dewald Barnard, could not attend, he phoned throughout the day to offer encouragement and check in on my progress.  I was so proud of myself for completing the TFA. When I finished, I thanked God because I prayed that He help me to complete it.”

Wabanie said he two-year-old son Chad Rhys is his lucky charm.

“Before I competed, I went to him in Knysna and said Daddy has come to fetch his lucky charm, and after completing TFA I went back to tell him that he was indeed my lucky charm.”

According to results published on the TFA website, Wabanie completed the competition in just over 11 minutes.

Now, with the finish line behind him and his ambitions rising, he is already looking to 2026.

“Next year, I plan to improve my time and do the competition with a few of my colleagues from Kouga’s fire stations. We will fly the Kouga flag high.”

Training for the TFA, he adds, takes discipline and creativity.

“I did not have equipment to prepare for TFA, but I used things such as tyres. Personally, I do CrossFit and endurance training like running. More importantly, your mindset must be in the right space.”