Geography
Umzingwane District is located in the province of Matabeleland South with its main administrative council offices at Esigodini.
Umzingwane District lies just south-east of Bulawayo City, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, and to the south of Umguza District of Matabeleland North. Within Matabeleland South, Umzingwane district borders the following districts: Insiza, Gwanda and Matopo.
The district lies almost entirely in the watershed of the Umzingwane River, a left tributary of the Limpopo, but also, in its western regions, includes portions of the Mtshabezi watershed. [5] The district has several recreational parks, including the twelve square kilometers of Umzingwane Recreational Park (aka Umzingwane Dam Reserve), [6] the forty-two square kilometers of Lake Cunningham Recreational Park, [6] and including parts of Matobo National Park.
The terrain in Umzingwane District is varied from the granite inselbergs and koppies (kojies) of the Motobo Hills [7] to flat alluvial plains along the lower drainages. [8] [9]
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 in 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.
Matabeleland South is a province in southwestern Zimbabwe. With a population of 683,893 as of the 2012 Zimbabwean census, it is the country's least populous province. After Matabeleland North, it is Zimbabwe's second-least densely populated province. Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North were established in 1974, when the original Matabeleland Province was bifurcated. The province is divided into six districts. Gwanda is the capital, and Beitbridge is the province's largest town. The name "Matabeleland" is derived from Ndebele, the province's largest ethnic group.
Insiza District is one of the seven districts located in the Matabeleland South province of Zimbabwe. It is a rural area. Insiza District lies to the South East of Bulawayo and borders Gwanda District to the South, Zvishavane District to the east, and Umzingwane District to the West. The total distance between Insiza and Bulawayo is 77 km and 469 km from Harare. The district is mostly in natural region four. This region experiences fairly low total rainfall (450–650 mm) and is subject to periodic seasonal droughts and severe dry spells during the rainy season. The rainfall is too low and uneven for cash cropping except in certain very favourable localities, where limited drought resistant crops can afford a side-line. The farming system, in accord with natural factors, should be based on livestock production, but it: can be intensified to some extent by the growing of drought resistant fodder crops.
Esigodini, originally known as Essexvale, is a town in the Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe. It is the administrative centre for Umzingwane District, one of the seven administrative districts in Matabeleland South. It was originally an estate of Frederick Selous, a British explorer, officer, professional hunter, and conservationist.
West Nicholson or Tshabezi is a town in the Matabeleland South Province of Zimbabwe.
Tsholotsho, originally known as Tjolotjo, is a district in Matabeleland North province in Zimbabwe. Its administrative centre is at Tsholotsho business centre which is located about 98 km north-west of Bulawayo. Districts around Tsholotsho include Lupane, Hwange, Umguza, and Bulilima. The Manzamnyama River separates Tsholotsho from Bulilima District, whilst the Gwayi River separates it from Umguza and Lupane districts, and the Hwange National Park separates it from Hwange District.
Colleen Bawn is a town in Zimbabwe.
Esimbomvu is a village in the province of Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe. It is located about 40 km south-east of Bulawayo just south of the Umzingwane Dam.
Plumtree is a town in Zimbabwe. Marula trees, wild plum trees grow abundantly in the area. The town was once called Getjenge by baKalanga. Another name by which it is often caled, is Titji, meaning station and referring to the railway station which was operating in the area around 1897.
Khezi is a village in Matobo District, Matabeleland South province in Zimbabwe. It is located 100 km (62 mi) south of Bulawayo, 10 km (6.2 mi) from Maphisa, a small town which serves as the seat of Matobo District, and 76 km (47 mi) from the province's capital Gwanda.
The Mzingwane River, formerly known as Umzingwane River or Umzingwani River, is a major left-bank tributary of the Limpopo River in Zimbabwe. It rises near Fort Usher, Matobo District, south of Bulawayo and flows into the Limpopo River near Beitbridge, downstream of the mouth of the Shashe River and upstream of the mouth of the Bubye River.
The Thuli River, former name Tuli River, is a major tributary of the Shashe River in Zimbabwe. It rises near Matopo Mission, Matobo District, and flows into the Shashe River near Tuli village.
Umguza is a district in the southern part of Matabeleland North province in Zimbabwe. It was formerly known as Esiphezini District.
Thuli–Manyange (Elliot) Dam is proposed a reservoir on the Thuli River, south of Gwanda, Zimbabwe with a capacity of 33 million cubic metres. It is designed to operate in sync with Thuli–Moswa Dam.
Mtshabezi Mission is a village in Gwanda District of Matabeleland South province in southern Zimbabwe.
Silonga is a village in Gwanda District of Matabeleland South province in southern Zimbabwe.
The Bubye River, also known as Bubi River, is a tributary of the Limpopo River in Beitbridge District and Gwanda District, Zimbabwe. It rises about 40 kilometres (25 mi) to the northeast of West Nicholson in Matabeleland South, from where it flows southeast before joining the Limpopo 25 kilometres (16 mi) west of the border with Mozambique. Its course forms part of the border between Mberengwa and Mwenezi districts.
Sebakwe River or Zibagwe River is a river in Zimbabwe.
Canaan Sodindo Banana was a Zimbabwean Methodist minister, theologian, and politician who served as the first President of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987. He was Zimbabwe's first head of state after the Lancaster House Agreement that led to the country’s independence. In 1987, he stepped down as President and was succeeded by Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, who became the country's executive president. In 1997, Banana was accused of being a homosexual, and after a highly publicised trial, was convicted of 11 counts of sodomy and "unnatural acts", serving six months in prison.
Maphisa is a small town in the Matobo District of the province of Matabeleland South. It also serves as the seat of Matobo Rural District Council and ultimately the district's largest business centre and development node. Three kilometres west of Maphisa is the Bhalagwe mountain on the Maphisa to Matjilotje Road. Maphisa Town's economic activity includes extensive gold mining by both large scale and artisanal miners. There are also many informal miners locally known as 'oTsheketshe'. It also boasts in excess of a 1500 hectare intensive farming under pivot irrigation system. There is also extensive commercial ranching in its precinct. The legendary liberation fighter Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo's home village is 40km South West of Maphisa. The amenities found in Maphisa include a modern hotel, Minda Mission which provides education from primary to Advanced level. There are modern supermarkets, a referral Maphisa Hospital and Hlalani Kuhle surbub. King Mzilikazi's grave and Cecil John Rhodes's grave are 84km and 65km respectively North East of Maphisa. The Matobo national park, a World Heritage Site is located 50km North East of Maphisa. SADC Icrisat is located 70km North East of Maphisa.
