City of Harare’s Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Committee Chairperson, Councillor Denford Ngadziore, has confirmed that property valued at approximately US$15,000 was destroyed in a fire that swept through the Magaba informal trading area in Mbare, affecting at least 11 SME traders.
Ngadziore said the blaze consumed critical business equipment including grinders, fridges, power drills, plumbing materials, computers, and various electrical goods.
“The damage is extensive, with property losses estimated at around fifteen thousand US dollars,” he said.
“While no lives were lost, this incident has once again exposed the urgent need to improve infrastructure in our informal trading zones.”
The fire was swiftly contained by the City of Harare Fire Brigade, aided by smooth traffic flow which allowed for quick access.
Their prompt response helped prevent the flames from spreading to surrounding stalls and causing further destruction.
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Christopher Makopa, Chairperson of the Magaba Informal Traders Association, described the incident as a major setback for the affected entrepreneurs, most of whom lost their only source of income.
Ngadziore said the City’s SMEs Committee had recently resolved to introduce fire prevention measures, including infrastructure upgrades to reduce the risk of future incidents.
“We are already working on a redesign of the Magaba–Siya So area to incorporate fire hydrants and other fire prevention systems,” he said.
“In addition, we are engaging trader representatives to resolve long-standing issues around lease agreements and monthly payments to the Council.”
He added that stakeholder consultations are ongoing, with implementation of the proposed infrastructure improvements expected to begin soon.
