THE Municipality of Beitbridge (MOB) has taken delivery of a 5 000-litre high
capacity motorised Fire Engine, which officials described as progressive game
changer" to fire-fighting and at the same time have an impact on investor confidence.

The fire tender was handed over to representatives of the community Nkululeko
Milidi by the city fathers, who in turn had received it from the MOB executive.

Deputy Mayor, Councillor John Manatsa, handed over the massive fire tender at a
brief function at the recently completed multi-million Beitbridge Fire Station.

We want to thank the Government of Zimbabwe for this gesture. This means a lot to
us as a municipality, which is growing. We appreciate what the Government has
done, Manatsa said as he received the giant machine, which dwarfed humans and
other vehicles passing by.

This equipment is important in our town and we are very appreciative," he said.
Milidi, the Beitbridge Business Association acting chairperson, who stood in for
residents’ associations said the huge machine would be a game changer in terms of
investor confidence.

He praised MOB for being one of the best well-run local authorities in Zimbabwe due
to its pro-active approach and embracing how residents were fighting economic
hardships through vending, unlike other towns where municipal police and chased
vendors in every other direction.

Beitbridge has had a unique way of dealing with vendors and has turned the
menace into money. Such is forward thinking and our Municipality should be given
an applause," he said.

We have witnessed many fires in Beitbridge and any serious investor looks at those
issues. No one wants to come into Beitbridge to invest millions and the property
goes up in smoke. Investors look at these features before deciding and this here is a
game changer, he said.

Beitbridge Town Clerk, Loud Ramakgapola, who initially handed the fire tender to
Manatsa, said the new machine had upgraded Beitbridge fire preparedness eight
fold having been at just 450 litres.

He said Beitbridge Municipality will invest in fire hydrants and make it a law that all
new buildings have fire hydrants that would make fire-fighting easier.

Fire-fighting becomes easier where the vehicle is coupled to a hydrants close to the
incident. We will impress it on the city fathers to approve that fire hydrants be part of
every commercial or industrial buildings. As council we will deliberately invest in
more hydrants across the town to increase preparedness and complement this fleet,
he said.

We are also planning to buy a 30 000 litre water bowser that should also
complement the fire engine, which will be coupled to the fire-fighter when need
arises, he said.

The fire equipment is from the Government’s arrangement with the Belarusian
Government for local municipalities.

Beitbridge has in several cases witnessed deaths in fire-related incidences which
have cost the town and affected several investors, including the public sector.

Three Government warehouses belonging to the Customs and Excise lost millions of
dollars when their buildings caught fire widely suspected to have been caused by
some officials who were "cleaning and covering" up criminal activities.
Several houses belonging to Illegal fuel traders have also been burnt to ashes in
some incidences in which human life was lost.
Police investigations have to date yielded nothing.