Online Reporter
Mthabisi Tshuma,Online Reporter
PLUMTREE is going back to its roots, literally.
In a bold move to honour local heritage, Plumtree Town Council has renamed several streets in line with the border town’s rich Kalanga history and culture.
The revamp is part of a wider plan to modernise and give the town a fresh face. Several roads now carry names of cultural icons, community elders and liberation luminaries.
Town Clerk Mr Thembalami Nyoni told Zimpapers the renaming exercise was guided by a special street naming committee made up of respected elders with deep knowledge of the town’s past.
“Criteria was determined by the committee of selected elders in Plumtree in 2022 who had knowledge of the history and development of Plumtree. Culture, history and contributions in development were considered,” said Nyoni.
Some of the new street names honour figures such as Skhuza, Tjanguluba, Luswingo, Masendu, Silundika, Tapela, Dabengwa, Ziyapapa and Siqhoza. These names were chosen to recognise their roles in shaping Plumtree’s identity.
“These were people who made significant contributions in the growth of the town,” said Nyoni. “The public was consulted before the names were proposed.”
The renaming is also a nod to the town’s deep historical roots. Plumtree began in 1897 as a railway station during the construction of the line to Bulawayo. Just like other stops along the route, the name came from a tree — in this case, the wild plum.
From a dusty settler outpost to a bustling trade route connecting Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, Plumtree grew into a vibrant transit point with schools, tax offices and a farmers’ club.
It remained under the sprawling Bulilimamangwe District Council until 2002 when government split the district into three. This gave birth to Bulilima RDC, Mangwe RDC and Plumtree Town Council.
Today, the town is the economic heartbeat of Bulilima and Mangwe. While residential areas are expanding fast, industrial growth has been slower.
Still, the street name facelift is a step in the right direction, anchoring the town’s identity in the stories of its own people.
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Mathew Masinge