Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
IMPROVING police officers’ welfare and accommodation at border posts is critical to strengthening national security and enhancing service delivery, Officer Commanding Matabeleland South Province Commissioner Elizabeth Phiri has said.
Comm Phiri said this last Wednesday while officially opening a reconstructed four-roomed residential block and a new cold room for storing rations at Beitbridge Police District.
The residential block replaces one destroyed by fire in November 2025.
Matabeleland South Province shares four border points with Botswana, namely Mlambapele, Maitengwe, Plumtree and Mpoengs and one with South Africa at Beitbridge.
Police officers and other security personnel are deployed at forward bases along the borders to combat crime and curb illicit activities across the country’s entry and exit points.
Given the demanding nature of their assignments, officers rely on institutional support to meet their welfare needs, including access to suitable accommodation and properly stored food supplies.
Addressing senior police officers, members of the business community, church leaders and junior officers, Comm Phiri said the fire had not only destroyed a building but had also affected the welfare and morale of officers and their families.
“It’s common knowledge that we as police have accommodation challenges and it’s therefore quite disheartening to lose any of the existing infrastructure through a human act,” she said.
Comm Phiri said the new facilities represented resilience and institutional renewal.
“From the ashes of what was lost, we now commission far better facilities that stand the test of time,” she said.
She said the reconstruction was aligned with the Zimbabwe Republic Police Moonshot Strategic Plan, which is derived from the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030, with an emphasis on smart and sustainable infrastructure to improve officers’ welfare.
“Improved infrastructure acts as the backbone of an organisation, without which service delivery is compromised. Proper housing brings dignity to our officers and their families as they usually sacrifice so much to keep our communities safe,” she said.
Comm Phiri said the residential block would accommodate four police families, providing stability for officers to concentrate on their duties while their children studied and spouses contributed meaningfully to their communities.
She also underscored the importance of the cold room, saying officers’ operational effectiveness at a busy border post depended partly on their welfare.
“The cold room will ensure that rations are safely kept fresh and in a hygienic environment without waste. We’re assured that police officers on duty, whether on patrol or on 24-hour shifts, will have access to proper healthy meals,” she said.
The facility is also expected to reduce costs and improve accountability in the management of station resources.
Comm Phiri urged Officer Commanding Beitbridge District Chief Superintendent Mesuli Ncube to establish proper systems for access control, record-keeping and maintenance of the cold room, while calling on beneficiaries of the residential block to maintain the property.
She said adequate resourcing of security personnel responsible for protecting the country’s borders was essential, particularly at Beitbridge, which handles high volumes of people and goods and faces cross-border crime challenges.
“The Commissioner General of Police remains committed to improving the conditions of service for our police officers. When we take care of those who protect us, we strengthen our national security,” she said.
Comm Phiri urged officers in the district to safeguard the facilities as public assets, use them for their intended purposes and serve communities with renewed commitment.
Business Against Crime Forum of Zimbabwe (BACFOZ) chairperson Dr Felix Venge said the cold room was more than a physical structure, representing a shared commitment between the police and the business community to improve public safety.
“This cold room is a symbol of our shared commitment, partnership and determination to support the police in carrying out their duties. We believe that when the business community and the police work together, we create a safer environment for everyone,” he said.
