The Sunday Mail
Thupeyo Muleya in Beitbridge
Sitting on a bridge near a roundabout that leads to Beitbridge Border Post is Taurai, counting his daily takings from a bountiful sale of mineral water.
His customers are mainly those in the 13 000-strong contingent of travellers who pass through the border town daily.
Beitbridge lies in a semi-arid region and is known for summer days that see the mercury hover around the 27 degree Celsius mark.
But the past week saw temperatures soar to between 37 and 40 degrees Celsius.
No cases of heat-related deaths or ailments were reported, and the Civil Protection Unit was on high alert to keep things that way.
Veterinarians were watching over their constituency, too, with poultry their most sensitive potential patients.
But it is this kind of heat that Taurai and roughly 200 other water vendors find refreshing.
“I wish temperatures could rise daily,” declares Taurai in a chat with The Sunday Mail. “On a normal day, I sell fifteen 500ml bottles of water, but of late I have been selling up to 50 bottles because of the sudden increase in demand,” he says, sounding overly pleased with the red hot business.
“We are aware that selling water near the border post is risky as law enforcement is against vending. However, due to the high demand and the money we make, we take the risk.
“You will see that there are people who spend several hours at the post while clearing goods. There is no shop nearby so we are providing the missing supplies with soft drinks and water.”
Fuel stations are also capitalising on the heat, finding that ice packs supplement the core petroleum business quite tidily.
Not to be left out are taxi drivers, who get few rest breaks during the day as people opt for their services rather than contend with the sun’s might. CPU district chairperson Mrs Kiliboni Ndou-Mbedzi says though forecasters are speaking of cooler days ahead, the civil protection authorities remain on alert.
“We have activated all our systems, though we are yet to receive reports of casualties,” she said.
Beitbridge district livestock specialist Mr Bevan Musongwe is concerned about the threat to poultry, which can succumb to hyperthermia in such sweltering conditions.
“We haven’t received any reports of animals affected by the heat, but we cannot take any chances. We will continue monitoring the situation. The heat affects a lot of things in animal production.”
