Five Cattle Killed in Mhangura Cyanide Leak, Safety Probe Underway
MHANGURA – Five cows died this week after ingesting cyanide at Chiridza Farm in Mhangura, following exposure to an unsecured gold processing site operated by an unnamed mining company.
The facility, which uses the cyanidation method to trap gold deposits, was found without fencing or supervision—putting livestock and nearby residents at serious risk.
Veterinary Services officials confirmed the incident during a site visit conducted earlier this week, triggering public outrage and renewed calls for tougher mining regulations in the region.
Veterinary officer Stanley Chinyoka alerted farmers through the Mhangura Farmers WhatsApp group, warning of the site’s hazardous conditions.
“On our visit to the site earlier this week, we discovered an unmanned and unsecured premise without any fence.
“The observation by the team showed that two of the animals died within 10 metres of the tanks. There was no personnel on site. Cattle and goats were grazing close to the plant,” he said.
Environmental Management Agency (EMA) provincial spokesperson Mr. Munyaradzi Nhariswa initially professed ignorance of the incident but later confirmed that a team would be dispatched to investigate.
According to The Herald, similar livestock fatalities have occurred in the area due to unsafe mining operations, leading to persistent community frustration over weak oversight and lack of accountability.
In response, the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development has intensified efforts to engage artisanal and small-scale miners on safer mining techniques and environmental protection.
Local farmers and residents continue to call for firmer controls and enforcement mechanisms to prevent further loss of life and safeguard Zimbabwe’s rural communities from preventable hazards linked to gold extraction.
