Mazowe – The tranquil hills of Mazowe, usually echoing with the rhythmic sounds of artisanal gold mining, were this week shattered by a scene of unbridled brutality. Former First Lady Grace Mugabe stands accused of orchestrating a violent, military-style raid on artisanal gold miners, an incident that has cast a long shadow over the region and raised serious questions about the rule of law in Zimbabwe. On Tuesday, 7th July 2026, a heavily armed gang, reportedly wielding AK-47 assault rifles, descended upon Mondo 3 Mine, leaving a trail of blood, broken bones, and profound fear in their wake. This latest eruption of violence, allegedly directed by the woman once infamously known as ‘Gucci Grace,’ signals a chilling return to the lawless tactics that characterised a bygone era.
Eyewitnesses and victims recount a terrifying ordeal, describing how miners were
“beaten to a pulp” by men operating under the explicit instructions of Grace Mugabe. The former First Lady allegedly declared to the battered miners, “I am your Queen,” a statement that underscores a deeply entrenched sense of entitlement that persists long after the fall of the Mugabe regime.
Our investigation into this latest explosion of violence reveals a disturbing pattern of impunity and a systemic failure of local law enforcement to protect citizens from the whims of the powerful. Reports suggest that police remained conspicuously absent during the hours-long assault, raising questions about potential complicity or intimidation.
The raid on Mondo 3 Mine was not a random act of aggression; it appears to be a calculated move to reassert control over lucrative gold-rich lands that have been at the centre of a bitter, multi-year dispute. The Mugabe family owns Smithfield Farm, a vast 1,300-hectare property located approximately 39.5 kilometres north of Harare, along Bindura Road. This farm is adjacent to Mondo 3 and Mondo 4 Mines, which the Mugabe family claims are part of their land.
A History of Violence and Disputed Land Claims
The dispute over these gold-rich lands is not new. Since the removal of the late former President Robert Mugabe from office, these mining sites have been subjected to repeated violent attacks, often involving Grace Mugabe’s son, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe. Bellarmine is currently out on US$200 bail for a similar violent rampage that occurred in July of the previous year. This history of aggression highlights a persistent struggle for control over valuable resources in the region.
One victim, who chose to remain anonymous for fear of further victimisation, recounted the terrifying arrival of Grace Mugabe and her entourage at Mondo 3 Mine. She arrived in two white Ford Rangers, a Defender, and a Range Rover, accompanied by approximately 20 men, five of whom were armed with AK-47 assault rifles.
“They started beating up miners at a neighbouring mine where we heard the guard had been assaulted and everyone else ordered to leave the premises, before coming to Mondo 3 Mine where we work,” the victim stated.
The armed men then ordered everyone at Mondo 3 Mine to sit down, including a named mine manager, who was allegedly instructed to bow and sit in the presence of “Zimbabwe’s Queen,” referring to Grace Mugabe.
“I ran to call my boss, thinking he would be able to deal with the matter, only to realise that he had no such power after he was told to bow and sit down in the presence of the Queen, referring to Grace,” the victim continued.
Brutal Assaults and Personal Orders
The situation quickly escalated into extreme violence. “I was then picked together with a workmate (named) and also told to sit at Grace’s feet. As we were about to do so, my workmate was then clapped and hit with a hammer on his forehead,” the victim described.
When the victim attempted to intervene after seeing his workmate bleeding profusely, Grace Mugabe herself allegedly issued a direct order for his assault. “When I tried to confront them after realising that he was bleeding profusely, Grace personally ordered that I also be beaten up as I was too talkative. Two of her guards then pinned me down and started hitting me with a hammer on my rib cage,” he revealed.
Most of those caught in the violent onslaught suffered severe injuries, including bruises, broken bones, and head injuries, inflicted with fists, hammers, baton sticks, and the butts of AK-47 rifles. Four of the injured miners required treatment at Concession District Hospital, and a police report, CR32/07/26, was filed at Mazowe Police Station.
The ‘Secret Thug Army’ and Unanswered Questions
The identities of these ‘hired bouncers’ remain a critical point of inquiry. How can a private citizen deploy an armed militia with such impunity? Conspiracies are circulating in Mazowe that these ‘thugs’ are actually remnants of a private security apparatus that never fully disbanded, operating outside the conventional legal framework.
Four of the five armed men involved in the recent assault have since been arrested by Mazowe police and were expected to appear in court on Wednesday. However, the broader question of accountability for those who allegedly orchestrate such violence remains. The fear among the local community is palpable. As one anonymous miner stated, “We are now living in fear, Grace is not an ordinary person; if she had ordered that they kill us, I do not think anything was going to be done to her”.
This incident is not an isolated one in Grace Mugabe’s controversial past. During her time as First Lady, the South African Police Service (SAPS) issued a warrant for her arrest after she allegedly assaulted model Gabriella Engels in a Johannesburg hotel room, whom she accused of being one of her son’s girlfriends. Her sons, too, have been embroiled in their share of controversies and unexplained escapes from justice.
Bellarmine Chatunga, for instance, was deported from South Africa in April of this year after being arrested on charges of shooting one of his employees at their Hyde Park flat. The charge was later transferred to a male relative, while Bellarmine was expelled for illegal residency and brandishing a toy gun. This pattern of alleged violence and legal maneuvering by the Mugabe family raises serious concerns about the influence they continue to wield.
Political Fallout and the Rule of Law
The political fallout for the current administration is significant. Can they afford to let such blatant vigilantism go unpunished while claiming to uphold the rule of law? The incident in Mazowe occurs against a backdrop of increasing political tension in Zimbabwe. President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently signed into law the Constitutional Amendment Act No. 3, which extends presidential and parliamentary terms from five to seven years, effectively prolonging his tenure until 2030. This move has been met with criticism from opposition parties and activists who view it as a tightening of an autocratic grip on power and a threat to democratic principles.
The timing of the Mazowe assault, amidst these political developments, adds another layer of complexity. It highlights the challenges faced by the Zimbabwean government in asserting control and ensuring justice, particularly when powerful figures are implicated. The ghost of the ‘Gushungo’ legacy, referring to Robert Mugabe’s clan name, continues to haunt the livelihoods of ordinary citizens, especially in the gold sector.
This investigative piece aims to shed light on the dark underbelly of Zimbabwe’s gold sector, where the powerful often operate with apparent impunity. The human cost of this ‘Queen’s’ wrath is evident in the life-altering injuries sustained by the survivors. The question remains: Is this the beginning of a wider campaign to reclaim lost territories, or a desperate last stand by a family losing its grip on power?