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Zvishavane

Coordinates: 20°20′S 30°02′E / 20.333°S 30.033°E / -20.333; 30.033
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the town. For the district, see Zvishavane District.

Zvishavane
Zvishavane
Zvishavane
Coat of arms of Zvishavane
Coat of arms
Zvishavane is located in Zimbabwe
Zvishavane
Zvishavane
Coordinates: 20°20′S 30°02′E / 20.333°S 30.033°E / -20.333; 30.033
Country Zimbabwe
ProvinceMidlands
DistrictZvishavane
Population
 (2022 census)[1]
 • Total
59,717
Time zoneUTC+2 (CAT)
ClimateBSh

Zvishavane, formerly known as Shabani,[2] is a mining town in Midlands Province, Zimbabwe. Surrounded by low hills, it lies 97 kilometres (60 mi) west of Masvingo, on the main Bulawayo-Masvingo road. Other roads lead from Zvishavane to Gweru, 121 kilometres (75 mi) north, and Mberengwa, 27 kilometres (17 mi) south-west. It is also on direct rail links to Gweru and Beit Bridge which then link up with Harare and Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and to Maputo in Mozambique, and Pretoria in South Africa. It has a private airport serving the city.[3]

Name

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Zvishavane was formerly called Shabanie (used by the mine) or Shabani (used for the town).[4] The name is derived from the Shona adjective for reddish, referring to the hills around the town.[5]

Zvishavane’s origins trace back to the early 20th century, when it developed as a residential center for workers of the Shabani Mine, an asbestos mine[6] established in 1916 to meet demand during World War I. Initially named Shabani (sometimes spelled Shabanie for the mine), the town grew slowly due to limited infrastructure until a railway connection to Gweru was completed in 1928. This spurred development, and administrative structures evolved from a Village Management Board in 1921 to a Town Management Board in 1930, culminating in municipal status in 1968.

In 1982, the town was renamed Zvishavane as part of a broader effort to replace colonial-era names with indigenous ones. Surrounded by low, reddish hills, the town’s name derives from the Karanga word zvishava, meaning "red hills," reflecting the area's distinctive landscape. As of the 2022 census, Zvishavane town had a population of 59,714, with the broader district, including rural areas, totalling 144,749 residents.

Mining has been the backbone of Zvishavane’s economy. While asbestos from the Shabanie Mashaba Mine remains significant, the region also produces platinum, gold, beryl, chromite, iron ore (notably at Buchwa), and diamonds (from the Murowa mine, 40 km away). The population has grown steadily due to this mining boom, rising from 26,758 in 1982 to 45,325 in 2012, according to national census data.

History

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The town developed as a residential centre for Shabani Mine, which started operations in 1916 to supply asbestos during the First World War. Growth was slow due to poor communications until the railway reached the town in 1928. Although the asbestos mine is the biggest producer of the mineral in Zvishavane, platinum, gold, beryl, chromite, iron ore at Buchwa and huge deposits of diamond at Murowa are also mined in the area.[3]

The surrounding area is dominated by cattle ranching, while peasant agriculture is practiced in the nearby communal lands of Mberengwa and Buchwa.[3]

The administration of Zvishavane has developed over the years to keep pace with its growth. A Village Management Board was set up in 1921 and replaced with a Town Management Board in 1930. It was granted municipal status in 1968.[3]

Population

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The population of Zvishavane has grown substantially in recent decades due to a boom in mining activity. According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 26,758.[3] By 1992, this had risen to 32,984.[7] The population grew further to 35,128 in 2002[8] and was 45,325 in 2012.[9]

Major Companies

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Transports

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The village has a railway station on the Limpopo railway that connects it to Rutenga and Somabhula.[10]

Culture and Sports

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Zvishavane is home to two prominent football clubs: Shabanie Mine FC and FC Platinum, the latter having achieved national success in the Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League. The town’s cultural life reflects its Karanga heritage, with historical ties to the Barwe, Zezuru, and Rozvi tribes before colonial influence.

Zvishavane is the home to 2 major football clubs which are:

Notable figures

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Notable figures from Zvishavane include:

  • President Emmerson Mnangagwa - Born on September 15, 1942, in Zvishavane, a prominent Zimbabwean politician and the current President of Zimbabwe (since November 2017). Known as "The Crocodile,"[11] he played a key role in the country’s independence struggle and held various cabinet positions under former President Robert Mugabe before ascending to the presidency.
  • Alumni of Shabani Primary School include Philip Matyszak, Judith Todd, and George Zambellas.
  • Gift Amuli, musician
  • Mbizvo Chirasha, poet
  • Judy Croome, novelist
  • Elliot Mujaji, Paralympics gold medalist
  • Clement Chimuti, Agrobusiness Entrepreneur of the year and renowned golfer, 2015, 2016, 2017
  • Garfield Todd- founder of Dadaya mission and school, missionary and Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia
  • Judith Todd- author and journalist
  • Lewis Matutu - A politician and member of the ZANU-PF central committee, where he serves as Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs. He is also recognized as a philanthropist and entrepreneur from Zvishavane.
  • Farai Mutero[12] - Recognised as a leading machine learning/artificial intelligence scientist in the cyber and military domains.
  • Tafadzwa Mawarire[13] - An athlete and former African and National motocross champion. He is also an entrepreneur and mechanical engineering technician hailing from Zvishavane.
  • Cephas Msipa - Born in Zvishavane, he was a significant political figure in Zimbabwe, serving as a governor and a key member of ZANU-PF. He was involved in the nationalist movement and later became a respected elder statesman.

References

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  1. ^ Citypopulation.de Population of cities & urban localities in Zimbabwe
  2. ^ Historical Dictionary of Zimbabwe. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press, Inc. 2001. ISBN 0-8108-3471-5.
  3. ^ a b c d e Encyclopedia Zimbabwe (2nd ed.). Worcester: Arlington Business Corporation. 1989. ISBN 0-9514505-0-6.
  4. ^ "Zvishavane town profile". Sunday News. Zimbabwe. 22 November 2015.
  5. ^ Ndlovu, Sambulo (2021). "Colonialism of power and resistance in some interracial toponomastic transphonologies in Zimbabwe". Marang: Journal of Language and Literature. 34: 27–46.
  6. ^ Van der Walt, C. M. (1981). "Die invloed van die moeder se stem op die fetus". South African Medical Journal. 61 (11): 405–407. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
  7. ^ Africa South of the Sahara 2004. Psychology Press. 2003. p. 1239. ISBN 978-1-85743-183-4.
  8. ^ "Zimbabwe - Population Census 2002". Central Statistical Office (CSO) – Government of Zimbabwe. p. 22. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  9. ^ "Census 2012 – Preliminary Report" (PDF). Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency. p. 97. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  10. ^ Network System: System Map. National Railways Of Zimbabwe. 2017.
  11. ^ Nyoka, Shingai. "Emmerson Mnangagwa: The 'crocodile' who snapped back". Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  12. ^ Mutero, Farai. "Learn from past human attacks and explore a bit. Break it. Imitate it. Fix it". X. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  13. ^ Madzokere, Munyaradzi. "Zimbabwe: Motocross Masters Emerge From Zvishavane". Retrieved 19 October 2014.
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