By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
MATABELELAND South, particularly Beitbridge, has been urged to develop clear plans to strengthen firefighting capacity.
The plans should include functional fire tenders, trained firefighters and regular fire awareness campaigns.
The call was made by the Minister of State for Matabeleland South and Devolution, Albert Nguluvhe, in remarks delivered on his behalf by a director in his office, Maxwell Muvondori.
He was speaking during the National Fire Competitions hosted by the National Industrial Fire Control Association (NIFCA) in Beitbridge from September 23 to 25, 2026.
Nguluvhe called on local authorities and communities to strengthen their communication with NIFCA.
He said this would allow industrial firefighters to assist with training and emergency response.
“Let us establish an open line of communication with NIFCA that will allow us to request support whenever we need training on how to respond to fires that destroy our environment, homes, and business,” he said.
He said industries and surrounding communities depended on each other.
Fires in industrial areas could affect communities, while fires in communities could also disrupt industrial operations.
“We need each other more than we realise. Therefore, we must take care of each other,” he said.
Nguluvhe said fire safety was a shared responsibility between industries, local authorities and communities.
In separate remarks, the Chief Director of Civil Protection, Nathan Nkomo, called for stronger emergency response systems, particularly along major highways and industrial centres.
His speech was read on his behalf by Sikangezile Mafu, Chairperson of the Beitbridge District Civil Protection Unit (CPU).
Nkomo said emergency preparedness should start before disasters occur.
He said recent road accidents had exposed the need for well-equipped and trained emergency response teams.
He highlighted the dangers posed by major accidents, including trapped victims, fuel leakages, fires and hazardous materials.
He said firefighters must work closely with police, ambulance services and other emergency teams.
Nkomo also called for strategically positioned fire and rescue teams along major highways, particularly the Harare-Masvingo-Beitbridge corridor.
He said the corridor carries large volumes of passenger and freight traffic and needs adequate emergency response services.
These include trained firefighters, specialised rescue equipment, reliable communication systems and ambulance support.
“Let us also recognise that strengthening fire brigades is only one part of the solution, our ultimate objective must be to prevent emergencies wherever possible and reduce their consequences where they cannot be prevented,” He said,
He urged local authorities to recruit and train more firefighters.
He said Government’s investment in providing fire tenders must be supported by adequately staffed and trained fire brigades.
Nkomo said the strength of a fire service should not be measured by the number of fire tenders it owns.
Instead, it should be measured by its ability to respond quickly and effectively when called.
He also called for joint training between industrial and local authority fire brigades.
Beitbridge is home to one of Zimbabwe’s major border posts, making effective emergency response important for the safety of travellers, businesses and surrounding communities.