Banket, Zimbabwe
Encyclopedia
Banket is a town in the province of Mashonaland West
, Zimbabwe
. It is located about 95 km north-west of Harare
on the main Harare-Chinhoyi
road. According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 5,698. The name of the town is derived from banket rock formation: early settlers saw a conglomerate
, which they hoped would bear gold, like the banket of the Witwatersrand gold fields
. The conglomerate was not gold-bearing, although gold was late discovered and, along with chromite
, is still mined in the area. Cattle
, maize
, cotton
and tobacco
are commercially farmed in the area.
Banket grew as a service centre for the surrounding mines and commercial farms, and has suffered from the downscaling of chromite mining in Zimbabwe. The town further suffered from the expropriation of white-owned commercial farms in the controversial land reform programme that began in 2000. The town's main source of income and business clientele, the farmers and businesspeople, all but disappeared from the scene, leading to a loss of business and income. The settlers who took over the farms failed to fill the gap created by the demise of commercial farms. This led to the collapse of retail businesses and the few industries that were in the town.
The town has three primary schools (Kuwadzana, St Georges and Banket Primary) and two secondary schools (Kuwadzana High School and the Catholic-church-owned Sacred Heart Secondary School). It has a good district hospital and a council clinic. The town grew primarily because of its role as a service centre for surrounding commercial farms and mining settlements. Mazvikadei Dam
is also located north of Banket.
, Banket-Trelawney Rural Council (BTRC) ran the small town. Services were good and infrastructure was solid . But there was a discrepancy in the level and quality of services between the white commercial farms and mainly white low density suburbs and the black high-density, low-income residential township of Kuwadzana. The amalgamation resulted in the creation of the Zvimba Rural District Council (ZRDC), with the head office being located at Murombedzi
growth point. Crispen Kadhoza (ZANU-PF) served as councillor for Banket in ZRDC until losing ZANU-PF primary elections in 2008, and could therefore not represent the party in the March 29 electoral contest, which was won by the MDC
's Fanuel Tembo who became the councillor.
In 2008 Banket gained international fame following a series of politically motivated abductions of supporters of the opposition party. These included the councillor (Fanuel Tembo) and an infant who was abducted with the mother. The abductees were later found in police custody after weeks of police denying knowledge of their whereabouts.
In 2007 the local government minister announced plans to turn the administration of Banket over to a town management board, which would put Banket in the same class as such urban centres as Ruwa
, Chirundu
and Hwange
.
Mashonaland West
Mashonaland West is a province of Zimbabwe. It has an area of 57,441 km² and a population of approximately 1.2 million . Chinhoyi is the capital of the province.Mashonaland West is divided into 6 districts:* Chegutu* Hurungwe* Kadoma* Kariba...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
. It is located about 95 km north-west of Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
on the main Harare-Chinhoyi
Chinhoyi
Chinhoyi is a large provincial town and is the capital of Mashonaland West province in Zimbabwe. Sinoia was established in 1906 as a group settlement scheme by a wealthy Italian called Lieutenant Margherito Guidotti who encouraged 10 Italian families to settle there.- Overview :Chinhoyi is located...
road. According to the 1982 Population Census, the town had a population of 5,698. The name of the town is derived from banket rock formation: early settlers saw a conglomerate
Conglomerate (geology)
A conglomerate is a rock consisting of individual clasts within a finer-grained matrix that have become cemented together. Conglomerates are sedimentary rocks consisting of rounded fragments and are thus differentiated from breccias, which consist of angular clasts...
, which they hoped would bear gold, like the banket of the Witwatersrand gold fields
Witwatersrand
The Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations...
. The conglomerate was not gold-bearing, although gold was late discovered and, along with chromite
Chromite
Chromite is an iron chromium oxide: FeCr2O4. It is an oxide mineral belonging to the spinel group. Magnesium can substitute for iron in variable amounts as it forms a solid solution with magnesiochromite ; substitution of aluminium occurs leading to hercynite .-Occurrence:Chromite is found in...
, is still mined in the area. Cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
and tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
are commercially farmed in the area.
Banket grew as a service centre for the surrounding mines and commercial farms, and has suffered from the downscaling of chromite mining in Zimbabwe. The town further suffered from the expropriation of white-owned commercial farms in the controversial land reform programme that began in 2000. The town's main source of income and business clientele, the farmers and businesspeople, all but disappeared from the scene, leading to a loss of business and income. The settlers who took over the farms failed to fill the gap created by the demise of commercial farms. This led to the collapse of retail businesses and the few industries that were in the town.
The town has three primary schools (Kuwadzana, St Georges and Banket Primary) and two secondary schools (Kuwadzana High School and the Catholic-church-owned Sacred Heart Secondary School). It has a good district hospital and a council clinic. The town grew primarily because of its role as a service centre for surrounding commercial farms and mining settlements. Mazvikadei Dam
Mazvikadei Dam
Mazvikadei Dam is a dam in Zimbabwe which provides water for farm irrigation. It is the third largest dam in Zimbabwe.Construction of the dam started in 1985, the main contractor being CMC di Ravenna with local subcontractors K.W.Blasting doing tunneling and hard excavation...
is also located north of Banket.
Government and politics
Before the 1992 amalgamation of the rural councils, which managed mainly commercial farm land, and district councils, which managed mainly land held under traditional tenureCommunal land
Communal land is a territory in possession of a community, rather than an individual or company.-Zimbabwe:...
, Banket-Trelawney Rural Council (BTRC) ran the small town. Services were good and infrastructure was solid . But there was a discrepancy in the level and quality of services between the white commercial farms and mainly white low density suburbs and the black high-density, low-income residential township of Kuwadzana. The amalgamation resulted in the creation of the Zvimba Rural District Council (ZRDC), with the head office being located at Murombedzi
Murombedzi
Murombedzi is a business centre in Mashonaland West province in Zimbabwe. Murombedzi is about 100km west of Harare, Zimbabwe's capital city....
growth point. Crispen Kadhoza (ZANU-PF) served as councillor for Banket in ZRDC until losing ZANU-PF primary elections in 2008, and could therefore not represent the party in the March 29 electoral contest, which was won by the MDC
Movement for Democratic Change – Tsvangirai
The Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe is a political party and the largest party in the House of Assembly of Zimbabwe. It is the main formation formed from the split of the original Movement for Democratic Change in 2005.-Foundation:...
's Fanuel Tembo who became the councillor.
In 2008 Banket gained international fame following a series of politically motivated abductions of supporters of the opposition party. These included the councillor (Fanuel Tembo) and an infant who was abducted with the mother. The abductees were later found in police custody after weeks of police denying knowledge of their whereabouts.
In 2007 the local government minister announced plans to turn the administration of Banket over to a town management board, which would put Banket in the same class as such urban centres as Ruwa
Ruwa
Ruwa is a town in Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe, situated 22 km south-east of Harare on the main Harare-Mutare highway and railway line. It serves as a small administrative and trading centre for the surrounding mixed farming area...
, Chirundu
Chirundu, Zimbabwe
Chirundu is a village and border post in Zimbabwe on the border with Zambia, in Mashonaland West province. It is located on the banks of the Zambezi river, and as a result it lies in the hot Zambezi Valley. It is the site of the Chirundu Bridges, two of only five road or rail bridges across the...
and Hwange
Hwange
Hwange is a town in western Zimbabwe, in the province of Matabeleland North. It is named after the chieftain of Zwange, who is now called Chief Hwange. The town was known as Wankie until 1982. According to the 1992 Population Census, the town had a population of 42,581...
.