Zvishavane

History

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

Most-observed species

• Pied Crow

  Corvus albus Statius Muller, 1776 · Aves
  2
• White Helmetshrike

  Prionops plumatus (Shaw, 1809) · Aves
  2
• Cape Starling

  Lamprotornis nitens (Linnaeus, 1766) · Aves
  2
• White-crowned Shrike

  Eurocephalus anguitimens A.Smith, 1836 · Aves
  2
• Red-billed Quelea

  Quelea quelea (Linnaeus, 1758) · Aves
  2
• Lady's Slipper

  Pigea serrata (Engl.) P.I.Forst. · Magnoliopsida
  1
• African Fish-Eagle

  Haliaeetus vocifer (Daudin, 1800) · Aves
  1
• Black-breasted Snake-Eagle

  Circaetus pectoralis A.Smith, 1829 · Aves
  1