Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
ZVISHAVANE, known until 1983 as Shabanie, is a mining town in the Midlands province.
It sits on the Great Dyke, which contains one of the world’s largest known mineral reserves.
Minerals found along the Great Dyke include gold, silver, chrome, platinum and asbestos among others.
Asbestos mining started in 1916 and Zvishavane town which was largely an asbestos mine settlement, was granted municipal status in 1968.
The town is now home to the affluent Platinum Park suburb which is home to Mimosa Mining Company employees.
On the left as one drives from Shurugwi is Mandava Stadium, home to FC Platinum.
There is also the sprawling Maglas and Kandodo suburbs owned by Shabanie Mine. The two suburbs’ houses have however, been neglected for a long time hence many of them have developed cracks.
Maglas Stadium, the Shabanie Mine FC home ground, is dilapidated and has overgrown grass.
As one moves into the city centre, he or she is welcomed by what looks like a grey mountain.
This is a mine dump.
The common public transport vehicle in this mining town is the Toyota Fun Cargo which can carry as many as ten passengers.
Two passengers join the driver in the front seat while six others sit “rather comfortably” in the middle with their backs to each other.
The other two passengers occupy the boot.
This vehicle is used as a multi-purpose vehicle and can carry a double bed and even a coffin in extreme cases, according to the drivers.
This is the vehicle of choice for taxi drivers in this mining town.
Most of the drivers operate illegally as the vehicles are not registered.
The local radio station Ya FM used to have a lunch hour show named after the Toyota Fun Cargo.
Zvishavane town does not have commuter omnibuses and commuters rely on these pirate taxis which are mostly Toyota Fun Cargos.
According to BE Forward, the Toyota Fun Cargo is a mini MPV (Multi-purpose Vehicle) known for its unique appearance.
It is based on the Yaris, which means it is cheap, reliable and fun to drive.
It has exceptional handling and a tight turning radius — plus, as its name suggests, plenty of cargo room.
“The Fun Cargo is also available with optional all-wheel drive.
Living up to its name, the Toyota Fun Cargo offers an enjoyable drive, thanks to its easy handling, comfortable seating and a vast amount of interior space.
“In particular, the interior seating can be arranged in a number of different ways to suit different lifestyles.
For example, installed in the Fun Cargo is a retractable rear seat that can be folded and stored under the floor as well as a front pair bench seat specification and a front and rear walk-through with a 6:4 split tumble rear seat,” according to BE Forward.
This is the popular vehicle that is used by people travelling from Zvishavane town to Shurugwi, Masvingo, Mberengwa, Mbalabala or Bulawayo.
A taxi driver, Mr Naboth Manyundu, said: “This is a strong vehicle.
The seats can be folded to create more room or space and as taxi drivers, we want to maximise on profit hence we want to use this vehicle,” he said.
Mr Manyundu said the vehicle was suitable for Zvishavane and Mberengwa’s rough terrain.
“This is a car of choice because of its carrying capacity,” he said while demonstrating how the seats are folded to make room for as many as 10 passengers.
Zvishavane Town Council chairperson, Councillor Khulekani Ndlovu said the Toyota Fun Cargo vehicle was very popular with taxi drivers.
“Residents are now used to the vehicle.
I think they are also used to being packed like sardines because you find them sitting in awkward positions during trips.
This vehicle makes the town tick, I must say,” he said.
Ya FM station manager, Mr Collen Nikisi, said: “It’s true that the Fun Cargo is the most popular and common vehicle in Zvishavane. We named one of our shows Fun Cargo out of the realisation that the vehicle is very popular here,” he said.
Mr Nikisi said to the station, Fun Cargo is a cargo of fun, news and entertainment.
“All the heated social conversations on development, be it sport, politics or local governance, are discussed in the Fun Cargo.
We don’t have commuter omnibuses here hence most commuters use Fun Cargo taxis,” he said.
Beauty Chikonye, aka Gogo Beau who used to present the programme Fun Cargo, said most commuters in Zvishavane use the vehicle.
“The workers, students, gold panners and ordinary travellers, all use the Fun Cargo.
That’s where we got the name for the show.
Gossip and hot stories are all shared in the Fun Cargo and that was what our show was about.
We have since changed the name of the show,” she said.
Unfortunately, Zvishavane has recorded several cases of Fun Cargo-linked road traffic accidents over the years, which have claimed many lives.
The accidents, according to the police, are mainly as a result of human error.
Nevertheless, the Toyota Fun Cargo remains a vehicle of choice for public transport in Zvishavane.
Online Reporter