By Munacho Gwamanda- The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) has fined ZimCN Investments for breaching environmental regulations at its gold mining operation in Mashonaland East, the Zimbabwe Independent can reveal.
ZimCN, widely believed to be linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Collins, operates Radnor Mine in the gold-rich Makaha area.
The company is at the center of an environmental disaster that saw villagers in Mudzi lose several cattle after allegedly drinking cyanide-contaminated water from the Nyamusanzara River.
EMA spokesperson Amkela Sidange confirmed the fine, stating that ZimCN was flagged for mining practices likely to cause pollution. “The agency collected water samples for analysis. While investigations continue, an environmental protection order has been issued to enforce pollution abatement measures,” Sidange said.
President Mnangagwa officially commissioned ZimCN’s multi-million-dollar mining plant in 2022, and state media has previously reported that Collins Mnangagwa chairs the Radnor Mine board.
Cyanide, a highly toxic chemical used in gold processing, has been banned in some countries due to its environmental and health risks.
Last year, the Zimbabwean government outlawed riverbed mining to curb ecological damage, yet large-scale gold operations continue to pose serious hazards.
Villagers told the Independent that a group of children who swam in the contaminated river had to be taken to Luisa Guidotti Hospital in Mutoko as a precaution. “Our cattle died after drinking water contaminated by mining waste,” said one affected villager.
ZimCN general manager Collins Musarurwa, while denying direct responsibility, said the company was cooperating with authorities. “We are working to determine the root cause of the livestock deaths. If someone claims cyanide is responsible, laboratory tests will provide the answer,” he said.
A search at the Registrar of Companies failed to locate records for Radnor Mine and ZimCN, raising further questions about the mine’s ownership and compliance with regulatory frameworks.