Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume has warned social media personalities and members of the public against interfering with the work of the city’s fire brigade during emergencies.
Speaking during the 1949th Ordinary Council Meeting held on Tuesday, Mafume said some individuals were obstructing firefighters while they were carrying out their duties, particularly during a fire incident in Avondale earlier in the day.
The mayor referred to a fire that broke out at the University of Zimbabwe property in Avondale, where the Harare Fire Brigade responded to the emergency.
“The fire brigade arrived within seven minutes of receiving the report and immediately began work to contain the fire,” Mafume said.
He criticised some social media figures who allegedly disrupted emergency operations at the scene.
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“People should not come and disturb firefighters while they are doing their work simply to create content or pretend that they know better,” he said.
Mafume said firefighting is a specialised profession that requires extensive training.
“We train firefighters for six months. This is serious work and not a joke. Residents and social media personalities must stop interfering with council workers when they are carrying out their duties,” he said.
The mayor urged members of the public to cooperate with emergency services and allow trained personnel to perform their responsibilities without interference.
The Avondale fire, which affected a University of Zimbabwe property, was attended by the Harare Fire Brigade, which managed to contain the blaze. The cause of the fire had not yet been established by the time of the council meeting.