Mashava
| Mashava | |
|---|---|
| Village | |
.jpg)
King Mine, Mashaba
|
|
 Mashava
|
|
| Coordinates: 20°03′S 30°28′E / 20.050°S 30.467°ECoordinates: 20°03′S 30°28′E / 20.050°S 30.467°E | |
| Country |
 Zimbabwe
|
| Province | Masvingo Province |
| Climate | Cwa |
Mashava (formerly known as Mashaba) is a mining village in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe and is located 40 km from Masvingo. Asbestos was and still is being mined in this small Zimbabwean town. There are three mines in the town: Gath's Mine, King Mine and Temeraire Mine.
Mashava now also has a sad problem of water. Water comes only twice a week and is always filthy from the rusty pipes. It is a sad situation that has caused illnesses in the civilians but has persisted for years.
Gath's Mine: The mining operations have stopped at this mine, though some of the major buildings are located here such as the General Office – Administration, the hospital, the training centre and the high(Chemberi) and low(Gath's) density residential areas for the workers.However the area is now occupied by Great Zimbabwe University and the so called General Office is now the Administration Block of the University. Most houses which were built for the miners were taken by the renovated and became Students Residence. Mining has been shattered down due to lack of funds and materials for mining to progress.
Temeraire Mine: This place has also stopped operations and was until recently a services area with some of the departments still operating from there such as transport including the garage, laboratories, the mechanical machine shop,the electrical and civil departments. High (Mupatagore) and low (Temeraire, Eastvale and Westonlee) density residential areas still exist for the workers.
King Mine: This is only place left with mining operations, 1 Shaft and 2 Shaft, the Mill, and the Stores Department are located here. There are also high (Mambo) and low (King) density residential areas are also found here . Due to economic meltdown it has ceased to produce since there is no equipment useful for miners to work.
The mines were up until the '90s part of Shabani and Mashaba Mines owned by Turner and Newell, who then sold both mines to Mutumwa Mawere for £60,000,000 in a deal sponsored by the World Bank. Both are now under government control after Mawere left the country. The two mines mine asbestos, with Gath's Mine producing the longer fibre.
There are other mines in the area which have now all ceased operations such as D.S.O. Mine, Boss Mine, and Reedbuck formerly Lennox (Rex) Mine. Bere Township is also in existence and Balmain which is the main shopping centre for the town with 1 petrol station, the police station, the post office and a supermarket.
The situation today is that Shabanie and Mashaba Mines have stopped operating, though the government-appointed administrator is still at work. However workers at Mashava are receiving low wages with a maximum of $US52 after two or three months of fruitless promises.
...
Wikipedia