ICZ considering working with the Glenview Home industry to mitigate perennial fires
Staff Writer
The Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ) is considering working together with Glen View Home Industry Complex operators to come up with and implement risk mitigation solutions to prevent perennial fires, which have become the norm at the complex.
ICZ today toured the complex to appreciate the operating environment and the challenges faced that result in frequent fire outbreaks.
“Most people operating in the area have limited knowledge or awareness of risk identification and mitigation. This is also hindered by limited financial resources.
“Implementation of tailor-made risk identification and mitigation initiatives with the input of the operators will be crucial as it will address their needs based on the nature of the business operations they run,” Ringisai Batiya, the ICZ Public Relations and Marketing Manager, told Insurance24.
She said the presence of ICZ is not to promote insurance products but to work together with the operators on risk management.
The complex houses over 500 informal economy enterprises that specialise in the production and sale of furniture.
Management committee chair Tawanda Utete said the fires could be minimised by having proper structures.
He said the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) could be assisting, but the informal nature of the setup made it difficult given the fact that they were not contributing anything.
He noted that the real causes of fire remained largely unknown, ranging from cigar disposal to accidental fires.
“NSSA should be funding us, but we don’t contribute anything. We use highly flammable things, so there is a is a need for proper mechanisms to minimise fires.
“The biggest challenge is that we don’t have proper structures that stop the fire from spreading. We need proper structures and proper waste disposal mechanisms,” he said.
ICZ is an association of short-term insurers and reinsurers in Zimbabwe who are registered and duly licenced by the Insurance and Pensions Commission.
