17-534: Shurugwi , originally known as Selukwe , is a small town and administrative centre in Midlands Province , southern Zimbabwe , located about 350 km (220 mi) south of Harare , with a population of 22,900 according to the 2022 census. The town was established in 1899 on the Selukwe Goldfield, which itself was discovered in the early 1890s, not long after the annexation of Rhodesia by
34-562: A branch rail line from Gweru (formerly Gwelo), 32 km (21 miles) to the north. Shurugwi is one of Zimbabwe 's largest producers of chrome; other metals also are mined there. Its healthful climate and scenic location attract tourists and retired people. The largest employers are ZIMASCO , Unki mine (a subsidiary of Anglo-American through its platinum wing, Angloplats ), the government (through education), agriculture and health care. Most farmers are peasant farmers who grow maize and other high grain-producing crops. Animal husbandry
51-551: A presence. Generally hilly and temperate.similair to the Highveldt of south africe Midlands Provinces is divided into eight districts: The Provincial Administrator oversees all eight districts in the province, each district having its own district administrator. District Administrators work with local authorities in their respective districts, with the local authorities having their own Chairmen (mayors for municipalities). These urban councils were established in accordance with
68-404: Is a private college Institute of Business Technology, popularly known as IBT College, founded by Dr Godfrey Gandawa, that offers academic school forms 1 to 6, and professional and computing courses at national foundation certificate, national certificate and national diploma levels with HEXCO examination status. Mhangami Primary School is an Anglican church-run school. Originally called St Pius, it
85-538: Is also practised to some extent. The town is located on a mineral-rich Archaean greenstone belt, known in this area as the Selukwe Schist Belt, making it one of the most mineral-rich towns in the country. Chromite , gold and nickel are all mined around Shurugwi. The town is also located on one of the most beautiful places in Zimbabwe , Wolfshall Pass , commonly known as Boterekwa due to the winding of
102-638: Is due to a lack of quality teachers who normally do not want to teach in rural areas. Rusununguko Secondary School , which is along the Chivi/ Beit Bridge road, is one of the few schools to attain A-level status in its class. Shurugwi also has rural primary schools, such as Vungwi Primary School , Matamba Primary School , Tumba Primary Schools, Dhlemiti Primary school, Chironde Primary school, Zvizhazha Primary School, Mavedzenge Primary School, Musavezi Primary School and Nhema Primary School. Most of
119-540: Is home to various peoples. Located at a central point in the country, it contains speakers of Shona , Ndebele , Tswana , Sotho and Chewa , as well as of various other languages. Gweru , the third-largest city in Zimbabwe, is the capital of the province. Midlands Province contains Kwekwe , a city of considerable mining and manufacturing industries, in which also the Sable Chemicals Trust maintains
136-614: The Pioneer Column . The town lies in well wooded, hilly and picturesque country at an altitude of about 1,440 metres (4700') and is well watered having a typical annual rainfall of 89 cm (3'). On a clear day, it is quite possible to see the hills around Masvingo and Great Zimbabwe, with the latter being over 145 km (90 miles) away. Selukwe was established in 1899 by the British South Africa Company and Willoughby's Consolidated Company. Its name
153-559: The North of Tongogara. Next to Hanke, there is a school called Svika High, named after a nearby Svika mountain, which are the rural areas of Francis Nhema, the Zanu Pf Member of Parliament for Shurugwi North. All these schools offer up to Advanced Level ("A-Level") education. There also are some post-independence-era schools with basically poor standards of education, with pass rates of below 5% on Ordinary Level ( O-levels ), which
170-1078: The Zimbabwe Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29.15 while rural district councils were created in terms of the Zimbabwe Rural District Councils Act, Chapter 29.13 Of the eight districts, Gokwe South , Gweru , Kwekwe , Shurugwi and Zvishavane have two local government administrative authorities; the Urban District Council (town council or municipality) and the Rural District Council. Chirumhanzu , Gokwe North and Mberengwa districts have no urban councils. Mberengwa's main economic activities are mostly concentrated at Mataga growth point. The 8 rural district councils in all 8 subdivisions; 19°00′S 30°00′E / 19.000°S 30.000°E / -19.000; 30.000 This Zimbabwe location article
187-533: The crash. Most of the infrastructure in Shurugwi is very old. There was only one hotel in the town center – the Grand Hotel, which used to operate as a bar before it was turned into a shop for building materials and motor spare parts. Slowly, the town of Shurugwi is being transformed to suit all kinds of business activities, contrary to its past as a gold trade center. The population have doubled as compared to
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#1732779632828204-504: The graduates leave Shurugwi after primary/secondary education to pursue further education, usually A levels, in other towns as far as Harare. A relative minority ultimately end up studying at the University of Zimbabwe and other post independent universities in Zimbabwe or even at universities abroad. Shurugwi has produced a considerable number of professionals, notably Chartered Accountants , lawyers, engineers and medical doctors. There
221-454: The last decade. Apart from mining, it is now growing into an agriculture sector. There are a number of schools in Shurugwi, including Parkinson High, Chrome High, Shurugwi 2, Batanai High School, Charles Wraith Primary, Railway Block Primary School, Peak Mine Primary, Selukwe Primary, Ironsides Primary Impali primary (Owned by Unkie Mineetc. Most of the better secondary schools are found in the Shurugwi rural area, such as Pakame Mission , one of
238-585: The oldest schools in the country, a Methodist -run mission school which is about 40 km (25 miles) by road on the South towards Zvishavane, close to Guruguru Mountain , a volcanic solid rock mountain in Shurugwi Rural Areas ; Tongogara High School , a government operated boarding school 40 km (25 miles) to the East and Hanke Adventist High School , an SDA run school 10 km (6 miles) on
255-602: The road as it negotiates its way up and between mountains. This is very similar to the pass close to Louis Trichardt in South Africa since both were constructed by an Italian firm, the only difference being that there are tunnels in Louis Trichardt . It has been the scene of many road accidents, with most of them fatal. The most notable of these accidents occurred in 1966, when a bus load of students from Chrome Secondary School overturned; only three teachers survived
272-408: Was derived from a nearby bare oval granite hill that resembled the shape of a pigpen ( selukwe ) of the local Karanga people. The district remains an important centre for gold, chrome and platinum mining, but it is perhaps best known as the home district of Ian Douglas Smith , a former Prime Minister of Rhodesia , who owned the 4,000-acre Gwenoro Farm near Gwenoro Dam . The town is the terminus of
289-418: Was renamed Mhangami in honour of the local Chief Mhangami. The school was established in 1943 and offers up to grade 7. Shurugwi has quite a number of notable schools that drive the academic excellence of the town, which are notably: Midlands, Zimbabwe Midlands is a province of Zimbabwe . It has an area of 49,166 square kilometres (18,983 sq mi) and a population of 1,811,905 (2022). It
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