The A7 Road's number one purpose is to link all Zimbabwe with Botswana and western South Africa.
• Plumtree, Marula and Figtree were all named after edible fruit trees in the particular area.
From the border with Botswana the first port of call is Plumtree, a settlement named after the numerous indigenous plum trees in the area.
The Mobola Plum is an evergreen tropical tree in Zimbabwe, and also in the greater part of Africa.
This one runs south through the Mangwe Pass and eventually to Mphoengs also.. Thirty-two kilometres from Plumtree there is a small urban village called Marula.
Another thirty-two kilometres from Marula, Zimbabwe there is a small urban settlement called Figtree.
Source: (Automobile Association Road Map 1975)[11] There is a Toll Plaza at Figtree.
[13] There is a halfway rest place at Shashani Lodge 59 km from Bulawayo on this Plumtree Road between Figtree and Marula.