The Toughest Firefighter Alive wiped him in 2022. Three years later, he returned and conquered the challenge!
Kouga, South Africa (01 December 2025) – Kouga Firefighter Benito Wabanie’s true calling arrived in the panic of a burning car and a fire extinguisher that failed when he needed it most. He was younger then, and still dreamed of becoming a mechanic.
After the accident, everything changed.
“The car caught fire, and I ran to a nearby petrol station for a fire extinguisher, only to find it did not work,” he says, as per the Kouga Municaplity. “That moment changed everything. That is where my journey to becoming a firefighter began.”
His path saw him juggle different jobs to survive. Eventually, he was able to study firefighting in Welkom. Then, Kouga Fire Department gained one of its most determined firefighters in 2021.
“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.” shares the municipality.
A year later, he entered the Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA) competition for the first time. It beat him. Hard.
The course is famous for doing that. The obstacles are tough, firefighters compete while wearing heavy gear that mimics real-world fire operations.
One thing about Benito, though. Giving up isn’t in the vocab.
Three years later, he returned. This October, he took on the TFA challenge again. Stronger, wiser, and more determined than before.
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“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.”
And he did it. According to results published on the TFA website, Wabanie completed the competition in just over 11 minutes. Living up to his name as one of the Kouga’s most determined fighters, and proving that failure can be overwritten with determination.
“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.”
Mindset is important, and so is a support system.
“What was so special is that my mother and my deputy fire chief, Marlin Sodien, were there to cheer me on,” reflects Wabanie.
But the most important supporter of all is only two years old.
“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.”
Now that he’s finished the course he once couldn’t complete, he’s already eyeing the challenge for 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.”
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