PICTURE: Some of the mansions at Boli Mhlanguleni. Insert: A scene from Baccossi market (left) and Councillor Leonard Makondo (right)
A REDDISH dust cloud hovers in the horizon. A mixture of thatch and iron sheet roofs become visible from mopane thickets that would have accompanied a traveller for more than 50km using an earth road from Rutenga in Mwenezi district along a railway line to Sango Border Post. The earth road ends at a junction where it intersects with another gravel road from Chiredzi town. This is no other place than Boli Mhlanguleni.
Boli Mhlanguleni is an upcoming business centre in Chiredzi South which for the past years has been overshadowed by a growth point, Chikombedzi. Up to about a decade ago, the growth point wasn’t electrified despite boasting a missionary hospital, a police station, banks, administrative offices and a guest house for Chiredzi local authority.
The region’s natural disasters eclipsed Boli Mhlanguleni’s developments. Chiredzi South lies in both natural region 5 and 6. Annual average rainfall for the region is 450mm. The region is suitable for animal farming or ranching than crop farming explaining its being home to Zimbabwe’s second largest national wildlife reserve, Gonarezhou National Park.
At the turn of the millennium, Cyclone Eline floods of the year 2000 added Chiredzi south’s woes. Chipinda Pools Bridge across Runde River which gave access to the area from Chiredzi collapsed. Since then, it hasn’t been repaired. An alternative bridge was built at Chilonga which resemble a causeway but always finds itself in bad state after each rainy season.
When this paper visited the area last week, it was interesting to note that the area is slowly waking from slumber. With a primary and high school and a clinic, the area is now electrified under rural electrification program. A mobile phone base station is operational. Mansions are sprouting in the villages. A weekly market is being held every Thursday and Friday.
Ward 10 councillor with Chiredzi Rural District Council Mr Leonard Makondo has faith in Boli’s further development. Said Mr Makondo: “Drought and poverty always headlined this area since my birth. Apart from the 898 householders who are receiving food aid from the Government, we have a few who are striving to develop our ward.”
On what finances such developments, Councillor Makondo said: “Some of our people have children and relatives working in the Diaspora especially South Africa who remit money back home. They are the ones building the mansions and shops around here.”
The ward principal revealed that the weekly market dubbed “Baccossi” has increased traffic at the place. “Peasants sometimes sell livestock and garden produce to buy goods during Baccossi markets. We have some who were contracted by a beverage company to grow red sorghum as out-growers. But not all peasants have the livestock, gardens and relatives in the Diaspora. Most of the peasants are living from hand to mouth,” concluded Councillor Makondo.
Traders interviewed by this publication admitted that Baccossi markets have transformed their businesses. A local businessman Mr Timothy Hlambela Chauke said: “Business is brisk every Thursday and Friday. Some of our customers come from areas like Malipati, Samu, Davata, Chilonga and others from Chikwalakwala in Mozambique. Although we get competition from traders from Bulawayo and Harare, we get a fair share of the market.”