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63-469: Maphisa is located about 110 km south of Bulawayo and 10 km south of Kezi , Maphisa is also located 66 km from the Province's Capital Gwanda but due to negligence and marginalisation the road is in poor state making it difficult to connect the capital. To reach Gwanda you must travel via Bulawayo about 464 km. The small town was named after king Mzilikazi 's Chief Maphisa Fuyana who

126-577: A state-owned daily newspaper, and its Sunday edition, The Sunday News , are published in Bulawayo. The Chronicle is the second-oldest newspaper in Zimbabwe, and along with The Herald , published in Harare, it is one of two major state-owned newspapers in the country. UMthunywa , a state-owned Ndebele -language newspaper, is also published in Bulawayo, where the majority of the population belongs to

189-590: A 'heritage city', with its wide main streets refurbished and its Victorian architecture and industrial heritage preserved. Institutions such as the Bulawayo Railway Museum and Nesbitt Castle were restored. The city was also recognised as a centre of excellence in tertiary education and research, as the National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe was formed and expanded and other colleges growth also accelerated. Since

252-717: A hot dry period in early summer from late August to early November; and a warm wet period in the rest of the summer, early November to April. The hottest month is October, which is usually the height of the dry season. The average maximum temperature ranges from 21 °C (70 °F) in July to 30 °C (86 °F) in October. During the rainy season, daytime maxima are around 26 °C (79 °F). Nights are always cool, ranging from 8 °C (46 °F) in July to 16 °C (61 °F) in January. The city's average annual rainfall

315-560: A large number of people together with the mines in the area. Antelope Mine is, like a number of other mining areas in Mthwakazi, a centre of settlement for members of the Chewa People . They migrated to the then British colony of Southern Rhodesia in the 1950s from Northern Rhodesia (the present-day Zambia ) and Nyasaland (now Malawi ) to work as migrant labourers in the mineral extraction and agricultural industries. During

378-490: A much wider area. Members of the tribe had a privileged position against outsiders whose lives were subject to the will of the king. In return for their privileges, however, the Ndebele people both men and women had to submit to a strict discipline and status within the hierarchy. That set out their duties and responsibilities to the rest of society. Infringements of any social responsibility were punished with death, subject to

441-660: A plain that marks the Highveld of Zimbabwe and is close to the watershed between the Zambezi and Limpopo drainage basins. The land slopes gently downwards to the north and northwest. The southern side is hillier, and the land becomes more broken in the direction of the Matobo Hills to the south. Under the Köppen climate classification , Bulawayo features a hot semi-arid climate ( BSh ). Due to its relatively high altitude,

504-408: A public hospital network , operates Bulawayo Central Hospital , Richard Morris Hospital, Lady Rodwell Maternity Hospital, and Robbie Gibson Infectious Diseases Hospital. Mpilo Central Hospital , is the largest hospital in Bulawayo, and the second-largest in Zimbabwe, and features a nursing school and midwifery school on its campus. Bulawayo is also home to Ingutsheni Hospital , which at 700 beds

567-641: A short stabbing-spear or assegai (also the principal weapon of the Zulu people ). For defence, they carried large oval shields of ox-hide, either black, white, red, or speckled according to the impi (regiment) they belonged to. The Ndebele maintained their position due to the greater size and tight discipline in the army, to which every able-bodied man in the tribe owed service. "The Ndebele army, consisting of 15,000 men in 40 regiments [was] based around Lobengula's capital of Bulawayo ." In 1870 King Lobengula granted Sir John Swinburne 's London and Limpopo Mining Company

630-436: A small number of expats, mostly from neighbouring countries. The Central Business District has the widest roads. These were designed to accommodate the ox-drawn carts, and to allow them to make a turn in the street, that were used as a primary means of transport when the town was planned and erected. Bulawayo is nicknamed the "City of Kings" or "kontuthu ziyathunqa"—a Ndebele phrase for "smoke arising". This name arose from

693-573: A total road network of about 2,100 kilometres; 70 percent was declared in 2017 in a poor condition. The R2 road links Bulawayo with the Capital Harare, and the Cape to Cairo Road links with the Gaborone and Lusaka . The Bulawayo railway station is the central point of the railway line that connects the cities of Lusaka and Gaborone (part of the Cape to Cairo Railway ), as well as being

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756-555: A trusted confidant of King Mzilikazi and leader of the Zwangendaba regiment, fought Prince Lobhengula as he did not believe that he was the legitimate heir to the throne. This was because Lobhengula was born to a Swazi mother, and Masuku felt that she was of a lesser class. At the time Lobengula was a prince fighting to ascend his father's throne. It was common at the time for people to refer to Bulawayo as Bulawayo UmntwaneNkosi , "a place where they are fighting or rising against

819-552: Is 594 mm ( 23 + 3 ⁄ 8  in), which supports a natural vegetation of open woodland, dominated by Combretum and Terminalia trees. Most rain falls in the December to February period, while June to August is usually rainless. Being close to the Kalahari Desert , Bulawayo is vulnerable to droughts and rainfall tends to vary sharply from one year to another. In 1978, 888 mm (35 in) of rain fell in

882-565: Is also the hub of Zimbabwe's rail network and the headquarters of the National Railways of Zimbabwe . Bulawayo's central business district (CBD) covers 5.4 km (2.1 sq mi) in the heart of the city and is surrounded by numerous suburbs. The majority of the city's population belongs to the Ndebele people , with minorities of Shona and other groups. Bulawayo is home to over a dozen colleges and universities, most notably

945-660: Is seen by investors in the city who admire the already-available infrastructure; the huge workforce; and Bulawayo as a potential business hub. It is set to once again contribute greatly to the economy of Zimbabwe. These include: Bulawayo is governed by the Bulawayo City Council , which is headed by the Mayor of Bulawayo . Bulawayo has museums of national importance, including the Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe , National Gallery, Bulawayo and

1008-528: Is the largest psychiatric hospital in Zimbabwe. Other hospitals in Bulawayo include All Saints Children's Hospital, Hillside Hospital, Mater Dei Hospital , the Nervous Disorders Hospital, St Francis Hospital and Thorngrove Isolation Hospital. In Bulawayo, there are 128 primary and 48 secondary schools. Bulawayo is home to a number of colleges and universities . The National University of Science and Technology, Zimbabwe, ( NUST ),

1071-557: The Battle of the Shangani . As early as December 1893, it was reported that Lobengula had been very sick, but his death sometime in early 1894 was kept a secret for many months, and the cause of his death remains uncertain. By October 1897, the white colonists had successfully settled in much of the territory known later as Rhodesia . He had well over 20 wives, possibly many more; among them were Xwalile , daughter of king Mzila of

1134-572: The Bulawayo Railway Museum . Bulawayo also hosts an arts and culture festival annually in September, the Intwasa Arts Festival. There are a number of parks in Bulawayo, including: Bulawayo is located in the south west of Zimbabwe. It is in the middle of the savanna country. It has four seasons, with rains starting in late October to about March. Coldest months being May and June with July being cold and windy. The city sits on

1197-613: The National University of Science and Technology , Bulawayo Polytechnic College, Zimbabwe School of Mines , Hillside Teachers College, and the United College of Education. The Natural History Museum of Zimbabwe , formerly the National Museum, is located in Bulawayo. The city is close to tourist sites such as Matobo National Park and the Khami World Heritage Site . The city was founded by

1260-526: The Ndebele people . Private online publications like Bulawayo24 News and B-Metro are also based in Bulawayo. Lobengula Lobengula Khumalo (c. 1835 – c. 1894) was the second and last official king of the Northern Ndebele people (historically called Matabele in English). Both names in the Ndebele language mean "the men of the long shields", a reference to the Ndebele warriors' use of

1323-473: The Nguni shield . The Matabele were descendants of a faction of the Zulu people who fled north during the reign of Shaka following the mfecane ("the crushing") or difaqane ("the scattering"). Shaka's general, Mzilikazi led his followers away from Zulu territory after a falling-out. In the late 1830s, they settled in what is now called Matabeleland in western Zimbabwe , but they claimed sovereignty over

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1386-550: The United Kingdom , Canada and Australia . Public service concerns have become steadily more acute, with particular concern in the health sector from a growing shortage of experienced doctors and nurses. As a result, the city faced an avoidable cholera outbreak in 2008. Though the city is the centre of the southern population generally categorized as the Matebele, the population includes various ethnicities, as well as

1449-554: The 1970s and the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project which would put an end to the water issue in Matabeleland was drafted; however, this project was put on hold soon after independence. These allegations have all been refuted by national authorities. The city still contains the bulk of Zimbabwe's heavy industry and food processing capability. Like many parts of the country, Bulawayo has for

1512-470: The BSAC sent additional troops from Salisbury and Fort Victoria (now Harare and Masvingo respectively) 500 kilometres (300 miles) to the north, and from Kimberley and Mafeking 1,000 km (600 mi) to the south. Once the relief forces arrived in late May 1896, the siege was broken. An estimated 50,000 Ndebele retreated into their stronghold of the Matobo Hills near Bulawayo. Not until October 1896 did

1575-519: The Federal years as new markets opened in Malawi and Zambia . However, Bulawayo trailed the development of other cities notably, Johannesburg , Harare and Cape Town during the same period. In 1943, Bulawayo received city status. By 1992, population decline and slow growth were beginning to occur which disproportionately affected heavy industry. In response, Bulawayo sought to re-invent itself as

1638-684: The Matabele in addition to a pledge that any people who came to dig would be considered as living in his kingdom. As part of this agreement, and at the insistence of the British, neither the Boers nor the Portuguese would be permitted to settle or gain concessions in Matabeleland. Although, Lobengula was illiterate and was not aware of how damaging this contract was to his country, only found out

1701-471: The Ndebele finally surrender their arms to the invaders. By the late 1930s, Bulawayo was no longer the country's biggest city. Influence and activity moved eastwards to the other cities, especially Salisbury, a trend which continues up to the present day. Despite this, after the Second World War , prosperity and population growth revived, as the city became an industrial powerhouse, peaking during

1764-415: The Ndebele king Lobengula , the son of King Mzilikazi, born of Matshobana, who settled in modern-day Zimbabwe around the 1840s. This followed the Ndebele people's great trek from northern Kwazulu . The name Bulawayo comes from the Ndebele word bulala and it translates to "the one to be killed". It is thought that at the time of the formation of the city there was a civil war. Mbiko ka Madlenya Masuku,

1827-599: The Pumula and Robert Sinyoka suburbs show that well water maintain levels of coliform higher than the Standards Association of Zimbabwe and World Health Organization give. Bulawayo is home to the Queens Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club , two of the three grounds in Zimbabwe where test match cricket has been played. Bulawayo Golf Club, the first golf club in the city and country,

1890-657: The United College of Education for primary education. Bulawayo is home to a number of institutes of technology and vocational colleges , including Zimbabwe School of Mines , Westgate Industrial Training College, and the Zimbabwe Theological College. In addition companies such as the National Railways of Zimbabwe NRZ and Zimbabwe Electricity and Supply Authority ZESA offer apprenticeship training for qualifying students who then become certified artisans upon completion. The Chronicle ,

1953-668: The ZANU PF government in Harare and the MDC run Bulawayo council, for instance, the National railways of Zimbabwe (headquarters in Bulawayo) is a government owned entity and, as such, should have been thriving had it not been for embezzlement of funds by company executives who are believed to be Shona. The water issue is not new and had brought about the "help a thirsty Matabele" initiative of

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2016-498: The Zimbabwe International Trade Fair being hosted in Bulawayo. It had a large manufacturing presence with large industries based here before Zimbabwe's economic decline. However, some of these companies have either moved operations to Harare or have closed down — which has crippled Bulawayo's economy. Most factories are deserted and the infrastructure has since been left to deteriorate. The reason for

2079-647: The Zimbabwean government's Gukurahundi campaign against the Ndebele population of southern Zimbabwe in the 1980s, the disused mine workings at Antelope Mine were the site of a concentration camp run by the Fifth Brigade of the Zimbabwean Army . Many prisoners were reported to have been killed and their bodies thrown down the mineshaft. On two instances in 1996 and 1999, skeletal remains believed to be of executed ZAPU prisoners were discovered in

2142-608: The abandoned mineshaft. Bulawayo Bulawayo ( / b ʊ l ə ˈ w ɑː j oʊ / , /- ˈ w eɪ oʊ / ; Northern Ndebele : Bulawayo ) is the second largest city in Zimbabwe , and the largest city in the country's Matabeleland region. The city's population is disputed; the 2022 census listed it at 665,940, while the Bulawayo City Council claimed it to be about 1.2 million. Bulawayo covers an area of 546 square kilometres (211 square miles) in

2205-770: The area, and the Roman Catholic operates a mission school Minda High School . There is a facility at Minda Mission for Accommodation - Sikhetimpilo Centre. There is a government run district hospital in Maphisa and The Salvation Army runs a hospital in Tshelanyemba, some 34km south of Maphisa. Bordering Maphisa to the west is ADA(at times referred to as ARDA) which is the Agricultural Development Authority and used to be called Tilcor before 1980s.ADA at its peak provided employment for

2268-590: The choicest meats were offered to Mlimo, the Ndebele spiritual leader, and to the dead Mzilikazi. Great quantities of millet beer were also consumed. About 10,000 Matabele warriors in full war costume attended the crowning of Lobengula. Their costumes consisted of a headdress and short cape made of black ostrich feathers, a kilt made of leopard or other skins and ornamented with the tails of white cattle. Around their arms they wore similar tails and around their ankles they wore rings of brass and other metals. Their weapons consisted of one or more long spears for throwing and

2331-436: The city has fairly moderate temperatures despite lying in the tropics. The mean annual temperature is 19.16 °C (66.49 °F), similar to Pretoria at a similar altitude but almost 600 kilometres or 370 miles further south. As with much of southern and eastern Zimbabwe, Bulawayo is cooled by a prevailing southeasterly airflow most of the year and experiences three broad seasons: a dry, cool winter season from May to August;

2394-509: The city's historically large industrial base. The large cooling towers of the coal-powered electricity generating plant situated in the city centre once used to exhaust steam and smoke over the city. The population of Bulawayo, according to the 2012 national census, stood at 653,337; however, this figure has been rejected by the Bulawayo City Council authority with Councillor Martin Moyo claiming an anti-Bulawayo conspiracy to under-fund projects in

2457-419: The city. The vast majority of Bulawayo City residents were Black African with 97.96%. Other ethnic groups in the city were Coloured (0.9%), White (0.75%), Asian (0.22%). Members of other ethnic groups comprised 0.02%, and 0.14% of the city did not state their ethnic group. There were 4,926 White Zimbabweans living in Bulawayo in 2012. Bulawayo was known as the industrial hub of Zimbabwe, leading to

2520-439: The de-industrialization has largely been political, with some factories like Goldstar Sugars removing machinery to open new factories in Harare. When the Zimbabwean government passed indigenisation laws, some successful businesses were taken over by ZANU–PF supporters, only to close down a few years later. Many locals argue that it is because of marginalisation they experience against the government due to political tensions with

2583-417: The king's seldom-awarded reprieve. This tight discipline and loyalty were the secret of the Ndebele's success in dominating their neighbours. After the death of Mzilikazi, the first king of the Ndebele nation, in 1868, the izinduna , or chiefs, offered the crown to Lobengula, one of Mzilikazi's sons from an inferior wife. Several impis (regiments) led by Chief Mbiko Masuku disputed Lobengula's ascent, and

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2646-410: The late 20th century, Bulawayo has suffered a sharp fall in living standards coinciding with the protracted economic crisis affecting the country. The main challenges the city faces include underinvestment, declining infrastructure , de-industrialisation and the effects of corruption and nepotism. Much of the city's educated workers have migrated south to neighbouring South Africa or further afield to

2709-569: The mine shaft dead or alive. The mine was established on the site of ancient African workings which were first discovered by local people in the 1890s and the first claims were pegged in 1894. The modern town serves as a commercial centre for the surrounding area and the Semukwe communal land. The town of Maphisa draws water from the nearby Gulamela Dam which draws water from the Shashani River . Many mission schools have been established in

2772-499: The overwhelming increase in population versus the static and sometimes decreasing capacity of the reserve dams. The geographical factors causing water scarcity are rising temperatures, the area's high elevation and the arid environment of Matabeleland . Environmental and sanitation circumstances have detrimental effects on water quality. Sources such as groundwater and tap water are subject to pollution due to waste from burst sewers contaminating them. Samples taken from well water from

2835-456: The past ten years seen a huge drop in service delivery and an increase in unemployment, with many who can opting to seek better prospects abroad. Many people resorted to farming, mining, and the black market for sustenance, while others depended on the little foreign currency that would be sent by family in other countries. However, with inauguration of the Mnangagwa government, a new approach

2898-511: The prince". The city of Bulawayo coincidentally has a similar name to the capital of the great Zulu warrior king Shaka ka Senzangakhona in Kwazulu , where Mzilikazi and his Khumalo clan and other Nguni people came from. In the 1860s, the city was influenced by European intrigue. Many colonial powers cast covetous eyes on Bulawayo and the land surrounding it because of its strategic location. Britain made skilful use of private initiative in

2961-490: The question was ultimately decided by the arbitration of the assegai , with Lobengula and his impis crushing the rebels. Lobengula's courage in the battle led to his unanimous selection as king. The coronation of Lobengula took place at Mhlahlandlela, one of the principal military towns. The Ndebele nation assembled in the form of a large semicircle, performed a war dance, and declared their willingness to fight and die for Lobengula. A great number of cattle were slaughtered, and

3024-424: The real terms of the contract he signed as his subjects found out. After going to friendly English missionaries to confirm this rumor, Lobengula sent two emissaries to the British queen, Victoria , but this proved futile. They were delayed by Alfred Beit 's associates at the port. As a last resort, Lobengula formally protested the contract to the queen on 23 April 1889. As a response from the queen's advisor, Lobengula

3087-638: The right to search for gold and other minerals on a tract of land in the extreme southwest of Matabeleland along the Tati River between the Shashe and Ramaquabane rivers, in what became known as the Tati Concession . However, it was not until about 1890 that any significant mining in the area commenced. Lobengula had been tolerant of the white hunters who came to Matabeleland ; he would even go so far as to punish those of his tribe who threatened

3150-483: The ruins. On 4 November 1893, Leander Starr Jameson declared Bulawayo a settlement under the rule of the BSAC. Cecil Rhodes ordered the new settlement to be founded on the ruins of Lobengula's royal kraal, a typical action by a conquering power. This is where the State House stands today. In 1897, the new town of Bulawayo acquired the status of municipality in the British colonial system, and Lt. Col. Harry White

3213-540: The second largest university in Zimbabwe, was established in Bulawayo in 1991. Solusi University , a Seventh-day Adventist institution established in Bulawayo in 1894, gained university status in 1994. The Bulawayo Polytechnic College offers tertiary training for students who have completed GCE O Level and A Level education. It issues national certificates NC , diplomas and higher national diplomas HND certificates. Bulawayo has two specialist teacher training colleges: Hillside Teachers College for secondary education and

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3276-671: The settlement was captured by British South Africa Company soldiers during the First Matabele War . That year, the first white settlers arrived and rebuilt the town. The town was besieged by Ndebele warriors during the Second Matabele War . Bulawayo attained municipality status in 1897, and city status in 1943. Historically, Bulawayo has been the principal industrial centre of Zimbabwe; its factories produce cars and car products, building materials, electronic products, textiles, furniture, and food products. Bulawayo

3339-483: The shape of Cecil Rhodes and the Chartered Company to disarm the suspicion of her rivals. Lobengula once described Britain as a chameleon and himself as the fly. During the 1893 First Matabele War , British South Africa Company (BSAC) troops invaded and forced King Lobengula to evacuate his followers, after first detonating munitions and setting fire to the town. BSAC troops and white settlers occupied

3402-431: The siege, conditions in Bulawayo quickly deteriorated. By day, settlers could go to homes and buildings in the town, but at night they were forced to seek shelter in the much smaller laager. Nearly 1,000 women and children were crowded into the small area and false alarms of attacks were common. The Ndebele neglected to cut the telegraph lines connecting Bulawayo to Mafikeng . The settlers and forces appealed for relief, and

3465-616: The terminal of the Beira–Bulawayo railway , which connects with the cities of Gweru , Harare , Mutare and Beira . Through the station in the outskirts of Umzingwane , the city of Bulawayo is connected to the Beitbridge Bulawayo Railway . On 1 November 2013, a new terminal of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport , formerly known as Bulawayo Airport, was opened. Bulawayo is home to many hospitals and other medical facilities. The United Bulawayo Hospitals,

3528-565: The three months up to February (February 1944 is the wettest month on record with 368 millimetres or 14 + 1 ⁄ 2 inches) while in the three months ending in February 1983, only 84 mm ( 3 + 1 ⁄ 4  in) fell. Bulawayo has good-quality tap water owing to the management of the water authorities, meeting international standards. Bulawayo does not recycle waste water but uses treated waste water for irrigation. Bulawayo experiences water shortages in drought seasons due to

3591-506: The town. Rather than wait passively for attack, the settlers mounted patrols, called the Bulawayo Field Force, under Frederick Selous and Frederick Russell Burnham . These patrols rode out to rescue any surviving settlers in the countryside and attacked the Ndebele. In the first week of fighting, 20 men of the Bulawayo Field Force were killed and 50 were wounded. An unknown number of Ndebele were killed and wounded. During

3654-511: The western part of the country, along the Matsheumhlope River. Along with the capital Harare , Bulawayo is one of two cities in Zimbabwe that are also provinces . Bulawayo was founded by a group led by Gundwane Ndiweni around 1840 as the kraal of Mzilikazi , the Ndebele king and was known as Gibixhegu. His son, Lobengula , succeeded him in the 1860s, and changed the name to koBulawayo and ruled from Bulawayo until 1893, when

3717-448: The whites. However, when a British team (Francis Thompson, Charles Rudd and Rochfort Maguire ) came in 1888 to try to persuade him to grant them the right to dig for minerals in additional parts of his territory, he was wary about entering into negotiations. Lobengula gave his agreement only when his friend, Leander Starr Jameson , a qualified medical doctor who had once treated Lobengula for gout, proposed to secure money and weaponry for

3780-628: Was appointed as one of the first mayors. At the outbreak of the Second Matabele War , in March 1896, Bulawayo was besieged by Ndebele forces. The settlers established a laager here for defensive purposes. The Ndebele had experienced the brutal effectiveness of the Maxim guns employed by BSAC troops in the First Matabele War, so they never mounted a significant attack against Bulawayo, although over 10,000 Ndebele warriors gathered to surround

3843-610: Was established in 1895. The Matsheumhlope Stream cuts through the 18 hole course in the suburbs. It is home to Hartsfield Rugby grounds where many international Test matches have been played. Hartsfield was developed by Reg Hart, after whom the grounds were named and on which field many of southern Africa's greatest rugby players have competed. It is home to two large football teams: Highlanders and Zimbabwe Saints . Other football teams include Bantu Rovers , Chicken Inn , How Mine , Quelaton, and Bulawayo City (R). Other important sporting and recreational facilities include: The city has

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3906-429: Was the regimental head of that area. Before its rename by locals to 'Maphisa', it was known as Antelope Mine , named after Antelopes which were common in the area before human settlements. Maphisa is also a site of Antelope gold mine which started operating in 1913 but closed in 1919. This mine was also used as a place for Executing Ndebele people during 1983-87 Gukurahundi genocide, it is said People were thrown inside

3969-513: Was told it was "impossible for them to exclude white men". Lobengula informed Queen Victoria he and his Indunas would recognize the contract as they believe he was tricked. The 25-year Rudd Concession was signed by Lobengula on 30 October 1888. The First Matabele War began in October 1893, and the British South Africa Company 's overwhelming military force led to devastating losses for the Ndebele warriors, notably at

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