Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
A PRIME resort lodge along the Bulawayo- Victoria Falls Road, just after Hwange Town, has been reduced to a shell following a recent fire incident, which razed down property worth thousands of dollars.
The blaze destroyed Ritz Farm, a safari destination about 40 kilometres from Hwange that attracts international hunters from Europe and America.
Several structures were completely destroyed, while others suffered severe damage, as fire rescue crews from the Hwange Local Board and Hwange Colliery Company battled to contain the fire.
Hwange Local Board’s Fire and Rescue team confirmed the incident.
Spokesperson Mr Dumisani Nsingo said the fire threatened to engulf the entire property.
“Our fire and rescue crew received a call at around 4pm on (last) Sunday and immediately responded to the scene, located just over 40 kilometres from Hwange urban,” he said.
“Preliminary information indicates that the blaze originated from a veld fire, suspected to have been started by poachers, before spreading into the safari area and igniting structures.
“By the time our team arrived, two structures had already been destroyed while three others had been severely damaged. Although we managed to extinguish the fire, significant damage had unfortunately already occurred,” Mr Nsingo said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but sources familiar with the incident say the property is believed to be owned by Zanu-PF politician and businessman, Cde Reeds Dube.
Efforts to contact Cde Dube were fruitless and messages sent on his mobile phones went unanswered.
The fire comes amid warnings from the Government through the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), which has been running awareness campaigns to mitigate fire-related destruction at the onset of the fire season.
The season is typically characterised by dry weather and high temperatures, making both veld and structural fires more likely.
Nationally, recent EMA reports show that fires have destroyed hundreds of homes and farmlands, with the 2025 fire season alone recording over 1 200 incidents across Zimbabwe.
In Matabeleland North Province, authorities have raised concerns over increasing veld fires linked to poaching, illegal grazing and unattended cooking fires.
Hwange District, with its vast safari and wildlife zones, is particularly vulnerable, with previous incidents highlighting the threat to tourism infrastructure and local communities.
The Ritz Farm blaze, environmentalists argue, underscores the need for strengthened fire management measures in Hwange, particularly in safari and wildlife areas where the impact of fires can be both economic and ecological.
