Shurugwi

Shurugwi, originally known as Selukwe,[2] is a small town and administrative centre in Midlands Province, southern Zimbabwe, located about 350 km (220 mi) south of Harare, with a population of 22,900 according to the 2022 census.

The town lies in well wooded, hilly and picturesque country at an altitude of about 1,440 metres (4700') and is well watered having a typical annual rainfall of 89 cm (3').

Its name was derived from a nearby bare oval granite hill that resembled the shape of a pigpen (selukwe) of the local Karanga people.

The largest employers are ZIMASCO, Unki mine (a subsidiary of Anglo-American through its platinum wing, Angloplats), the government (through education), agriculture and health care.

The town is also located on one of the most beautiful places in Zimbabwe, Wolfshall Pass, commonly known as Boterekwa due to the winding of the road as it negotiates its way up and between mountains.

Slowly, the town of Shurugwi is being transformed to suit all kinds of business activities, contrary to its past as a gold trade center.

There also are some post-independence-era schools with basically poor standards of education, with pass rates of below 5% on Ordinary Level (O-levels), which is due to a lack of quality teachers who normally do not want to teach in rural areas.