Ngundu

Ngundu is a village in Chivi District in Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe. Prior to 1950, the Rhodesia Railways Road Motor Service, or RMS, stopped at Ngundu Halt. The mailbags for Triangle Estates and other Lowveld residents were dropped off at a tiny building with a secure entrance and a roof. The road was made of dirt from the stop to Triangle and tar strips from Fort Victoria (now Masvingo) to Beit Bridge. Small vendors selling corn on the cob and other travel-related items made a brisk trade when the local bus lines stopped there.

Rufus Paul saw that there was a demand for a gas station and a rural shop at this site. He sought to the Native Commissioner for a permit to build both and housing for himself and his staff; the NC granted this, and for a tiny annual rent of £4.00, a four-acre area was awarded, and Paul's Ngundu Store was founded. This was around 1948.

There was a drought in 1950. Many people were unable to reap for their own consumption, so they borrowed a bag of maize (corn) at a time as needed. All but one (who had a valid reason) paid back their debts, which impressed Paul's much. With the locals, a bond had been formed.

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