Gwanda’s revival highlights ZANU-PF’s decades of broken promises
by NQOBANI MATHIBELA
GWANDA – AFTER decades of false starts and political promises, Gwanda’s dream of attaining city status by 2026 is finally inching closer to reality.
Yet, beneath the cranes and new malls, residents say the town’s slow transformation exposes years of neglect and underinvestment by the ZANU-PF government, which has long marginalised the*Matabeleland South province and the broader region.
For years, Gwanda—a town founded on gold and asbestos mining—struggled to grow beyond its colonial-era infrastructure.
Poor roads, erratic water supplies, and the collapse of the once-vibrant mining sector stalled its bid for city status.
The decline of key industries such as Vumbachikwe Mine and the failure to attract new investors left the town dependent on small-scale miners, cross-border traders, and government handouts.
Mayor Thulani Moyo said the municipality’s push for modern infrastructure, including new shopping malls, upgraded roads, and improved service delivery, is part of a strategic plan to revive Gwanda’s economic fortunes.
“We are working hard to meet the requirements for city status. The developments you see—commercial buildings, better waste management, and partnerships with local mines—reflect our collective determination to modernise Gwanda,” said Cllr Moyo.
However, critics argue that the progress comes too late and credit belongs to private investors, not government policy.
“ZANU-PF only remembers Gwanda when elections are near,” said local entrepreneur Nkululeko Sibanda.
“For years, our industries collapsed while government funds went elsewhere. What you see now is the resilience of locals, not state vision.”
Civic activist Nomusa Dube added that the region still lacks meaningful industrial development.
“We have no major factories, no functional rail network, and our youth survive on vending or illegal mining. How do we call this progress?” she said.
While Minister of State for Matabeleland South, Albert Nguluvhe, praised the recent developments as “a symbol of determination,” residents insist the town’s revival will remain incomplete without water security, energy stability, and genuine devolution of power.
For Gwanda, the construction boom represents both hope and frustration—a glimpse of what could have been if the region had not endured decades of economic and political marginalisation.
Whether it finally achieves city status may depend less on political slogans and more on sustained, locally driven development.
