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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, [email protected] 

INSIZA is a district in Matabeleland South Province and its capital, Filabusi, is 100km south of Bulawayo, along the Mbalabala/Zvishavane Road. The district boasts of a diverse landscape, with gentle hills, scattered granite outcrops, dense bush and savanna grasslands. 

The soil is rich in minerals like gold, asbestos, nickel and limestone, attracting small-scale miners who pan for alluvial gold, process dumps and mine reefs. According to reports, most of the medium to large-scale mines are either closed or under maintenance. The district is also blessed with abundant water resources, with major rivers like Umzingwane, Shangani, Insiza, Nkankezi, Nuanetsi and Ngezi flowing through it. Some of these rivers belong to the Limpopo basin while others belong to the Save basin (Umzingwane catchment and Runde, Gwayi-Shangani). 

All these rivers have alluvial gold deposits as well. Big dams like Silalabuhwa, Fort Rixon, Mpalawani, Shangani and Ntiyabenzi provide water for irrigation, watering livestock and for domestic use.

The district is divided into two constituencies, with the northern part falling in the Agro-ecological zone III and IV and the southern part falling in Zone IV and V. These zones are characterised by low rainfall patterns. 

Insiza shares boundaries with Midlands districts like Gweru, Shurugwi, Zvishavane and Mberengwa to the north, Umzingwane to the west, and Gwanda to the south. The district has four chiefs and these are Chief Maduna, Chief Sibasa, Chief Ndube and Chief Jahana. The district has a total of 14 service centres with Filabusi being the largest and the district service centre. The second largest is Shangani, which is the sub-district service centre. The other 12 service centres are scattered across the district.

Filabusi, the district capital, is famous for its leafy houses that are sprouting all over as the economy is driven by gold mining and farming. The houses, some double-storey, can compete with some in major towns like Bulawayo. The double-storey houses are iconic and eye-catching, just like some of the people that come from the district who call themselves omahlabayithwale, omagobisa injanji. 

Insiza is home to individuals who have made names for themselves in various fields. Veteran politician, businessman and former Cabinet Minister Andrew Langa is one of them. Insiza South and North National Assembly representatives Spare Sithole and Farai Taruvinga, who is also a businessman of repute in the district, are other proud sons of the district. Bulawayo’s first black mayor and former Deputy President of the Senate, the late Naison Khutshwekhaya Ndlovu, who died in 2017 and is buried at the National Heroes Acre, hails from Insiza district. Another liberation struggle stalwart, the late Thenjiwe Lesabe is also from Insiza. She died in 2011 and was buried at her Fort Rixon farm.

KeYona TV’s CEO Dr Qhubani Moyo

Former Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) spokesperson, founder of Skyz Metro FM and Keyona TV, Qhubani Moyo who is also an academic, a social and political commentator, is an unapologetic mahlabayithwale in blood and soul. 

Former Chronicle Editor who now runs an online news outlet, Zimlive, Mduduzi Mathuthu and Sunday News Editor Limukani Ncube, both die-hard Arsenal and Highlanders fans, come from Filabusi and have always been vocal about their identity as omahlabayithwale, so is the former Sunday News and Chronicle Sports Editor Mehluli Sibanda.

Zimbabwe National Road Administration (Zinara) chief executive officer Nkosinathi Ncube is a proud Filabusi native, so is the man of God, former Bulawayo Roman Catholic Archbishop, Pius Ncube. Founder of the Miss Rural Zimbabwe beauty pageant Sipho Mazibuko is that girl from Filabusi as well as renowned South Africa-based businessperson Osfael Mazibuko.

Respected business executive who led many blue chip companies, Herbert Nkala and former Defence Minister and nationalist, the late Enos Nkala hail from Insiza district.

Insiza district therefore has much to offer given its natural resources, cultural heritage and the brains of its many distinguished sons and daughters. It is a land of gold and glory, a land of omahlabayithwale, omagobisa injanji.