Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
THE Beitbridge Municipality has appealed for Government support to procure two additional fire tenders to enhance its firefighting capabilities and strengthen its capacity to respond to disasters, including road accidents along major highways leading to Beitbridge.
The local authority relies on two fire tenders with a combined capacity of 6 000 litres of water at any given time — far below the needs of an estimated 100 000 residents and 15 000 others transiting through the town daily.
At least 1 000 commercial trucks, 2 000 light vehicles, and 200 buses pass through the town each day, which also has over 14 000 properties.
Beitbridge Town Clerk, Mr Loud Ramakgapola, told the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport and Infrastructure Development during a field visit to the town on Sunday that the council lacks sufficient equipment and faces challenges in effectively responding to emergencies across the district.
He said the situation worsened when the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and the National Oil Company withdrew their two large fire tenders from Beitbridge.
The Parliamentarians were in the town to familiarise themselves with the port and out-of-port infrastructure projects developed under the US$300 million Beitbridge Border Modernisation Programme.
The Government and its partner, the ZimBorders Consortium, have constructed a new fire station, 220 houses for border agency staff, an 11,4-megalitre water reservoir, a new sewer oxidation plant, upgraded roads and water infrastructure, and an animal and plant quarantine centre within the town.
The border modernisation project falls under the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development.
“We are grateful for the support we have received so far from the Government in improving service delivery. We have benefitted from the new fire station and received a new fire tender with a 5 000-litre capacity, adding to the one we already had, which carries 1 000 litres. However, due to our unique location along the African union North–South Corridor and our proximity to South Africa, we handle a high volume of traffic and emergencies.
“We are doing our best, but we feel we need assistance to boost our disaster response capacity. We are appealing to the Government to help us procure two more fire tenders to enable us to provide efficient and effective firefighting services to both our residents and the transit population,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
The Town Clerk said the municipality’s fire department plays a critical role in responding to fires, accidents, and other emergencies within the town and along major highways.
However, with limited resources and equipment, he said the department faces significant challenges in delivering timely and effective services — particularly during the fire season (July to October) and major public holidays.
He added that acquiring at least two additional fire tenders with a combined capacity of 10 000 litres would significantly improve the municipality’s ability to respond to emergencies, reducing the risk of property damage and loss of life.
“The border post is a major investment that requires protection, and we also need to enhance the overall safety and security of the community. Although we have plans to acquire such equipment, our resources are limited — hence the need for national Government intervention,” said Mr Ramakgapola.
