marble nkomo
Thupeyo Muleya, thupeyo.muleya @zimpapers.co.zw
BEITBRIDGE traders are counting losses after a devastating fire reduced their wares to ashes at the Tshitaudze Business Centre market, commonly known as ‘Speed’ on Tuesday evening.
The fire, which broke out around 8pm, destroyed goods worth thousands of dollars, leaving many informal traders struggling to come to terms with the loss.
It is alleged that the inferno started from a stall, which was being used to keep fuel by vendors operating at the business centre.
According to witnesses, one of the vendors tried to siphon petrol from a container while holding a lit cigarette, resulting in the fire.
The fire then spread rapidly across two rows of market stalls, destroying property worth thousands of dollars. However, authorities are still carrying out further investigations into the matter.
“This is devastating as most traders lost their entire stock and their major source of livelihood in that market that houses scores of our members,” chairperson of the Beitbridge Informal Traders’ Association, Mr Mafios Macheka, said.
“Something must be done urgently to cushion the victims. It’s a huge blow. We are gravely concerned about the issue of looting. Some of the traders lost a lot of properties to a mob that looted their wares on the pretext that they were helping them to evacuate the market before further fire damage.”
The Beitbridge Informal Traders’ Association has a membership of over 500 people operating around the border town.
Many traders at “Speed Market” are informal, without insurance to cover their losses. By the end of the day, some of the affected traders were seen cleaning the debris from what used to be their major source of livelihood.
“I had already left when I heard that the fire broke out at the market place. When I arrived a lot of the stalls in the two front rows had been reduced to shells. Now most of us were left with nothing,” said a trader identified only as Madzimai.
“This is a huge setback; some may not even recover after this incident. However, I won’t give up on my business,” declared another trader.
Beitbridge acting Town Clerk Mr Sathulani Moyo said 36 informal traders had their stalls razed down to ashes.
He said the local authority working with the affected traders were still working on the actual value of properties lost during the inferno.
Mr Moyo said after getting a distress call from residents, the local authority’s Fire Fighters reacted swiftly to contain the fire before it spread across the whole market.
“Our team is on the ground working with all the affected traders and we are yet to establish the actual value of the damaged goods,” he said.
“We have brought our team to clean up the area and we are also registering all those who were affected.
“In addition, we will issue further details including recommendations upon completion of full investigations into this fire incident.”
Beitbridge West legislator Cde Thusani Ndou and the Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, have since toured the area to offer compassionate support to the informal traders.
“This is a huge blow to the livelihoods of the traders and their families. We need to sit down as local stakeholders together with the municipality to see how best we can assist the affected people,” said Cde Ndou.
“At the same time, I want to warn our community members to desist from the culture of looting. That is not who we are as a community.
“Let’s have a heart, compassion when a tragedy like this one strikes one of our own. The looting that went on cannot be condoned.”
Ends CKD NT
Bongani Ndlovu