Three men from Shabula village in Sotani Ward say they have turned to gravel extraction to survive as Zimbabwe’s cost-of-living pressures deepen. Kamasie Mathe, Dumisani Moyo and Mathew Sibanda now earn a living by digging and selling gravel to local contractors and residents for construction projects. They say they entered the trade after struggling to meet basic household needs amid rising food prices and limited employment opportunities.
“We started this gravel business because the economic situation became unbearable,” Mathe said. “We had limited options for earning an income.” He said the venture was born out of necessity rather than ambition, providing daily earnings to support their families. “Local contractors and residents are our market.
When people are building or improving their yards and roads, they come looking for gravel,” he said. Moyo described the work as a survival strategy at a time when formal jobs are scarce. “It came about as a result of the economic strain.
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Even when you try other ways to survive, the returns are too little,” he said. He added that any payment received goes directly towards household expenses. “With the money we get, we can buy food and other essentials.
At least we are able to manage, even if life is still difficult.” Sibanda said demand for gravel remains steady, driven by both private home improvements and small-scale construction projects in and around Shabula. “Residents buy for large and small projects, driveways, yard surfaces and other preparations,” he said. “They know we have gravel available when they need it.”
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