By Patience Gondo
The Beitbridge Fire Station has significantly improved the Town ‘s emergency response capabilities, but the town of Beitbridge still requires an additional three Fire Tenders.
The town would also require reliable hydrants and is appealing to Government for assistance, Beitbridge Town Clerk Loud Ramakgapola has said.
“We thank Government for the fire station which has reduced the long-standing reliance on neighbouring South Africa for firefighting services. Before the station establishment Beitbridge depended on Musina, across the border often leading to delayed responses and serious losses,” he said.
Despite the progress Mr Ramakgapula emphasized the urgent need for more fire stations to effectively serve Beitbridge and its growing population.
“We need at least three more as the town is expanding rapidly and emergencies can occur simultaneously in different locations for instance in the surburbs and the border post. one fire
He was speaking to the Special Advisor to the President Joram Gumbo who toured Beitbridge’s outside port projects built by Zimborders as part of the US$300 redevelopment of Beitbridge.
Zimborders built an 11.4 milliion water reservoir, a modern sewer plant, an animal quarantine and the fire station among the projects he visited. Zimborders also built a Department of Road Camp.
Addressing stakeholders, Gumbo acknowledged the fire station as a critical milestone under both onsite and off-site national development projects being implemented in Beitbridge.
station cannot attend both incidents at the same time,” he said.
He added that lack of adequate coverage could reverse the progress made so far.
The call for more fire stations comes as part of a broader conversation around sustainable urban development, as Beitbridge transforms into a modern border town.