Bulawayo council seizes 1.5 tonnes of elephant meat

The City of Bulawayo has confiscated 1,5 tonnes of elephant meat as part of a wide-ranging enforcement operation targeting non-compliant businesses and unsafe food practices across the city.

The seizure formed part of a broader inspection blitz that covered 1 715 premises, during which the local authority issued 66 intimations, 66 tickets and condemned large quantities of unwholesome food products.

City health services director Edwin Mzingwane Sibanda told a recent full council meeting that the inspections were aimed at enforcing compliance with licensing laws, food safety standards and environmental health regulations. Additional monitoring was carried out during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) 2026 period.

According to the council's report, inspectors visited food outlets, supermarkets, butcheries, restaurants, salons, hardware shops and informal trading sites, focusing on illegal operations and unsafe food handling practices.

"Enforcement action included issuing intimations for regulatory breaches, imposing deposit fines, and confiscating or condemning unsafe food items," the report stated.

Most violations recorded involved operating without valid licences, poor hygiene conditions and unsafe food preparation environments. Some premises were found to have butcheries lacking hot water, inadequate sanitation facilities, and structural setups where food preparation areas were in close proximity to toilets.

Inspectors also uncovered expired and contaminated food items, including dented and bulging canned goods, mould-infested products, expired beverages and improperly stored meat products.

In one of the most significant findings, 1 500 kilogrammes of elephant meat was discovered in a decomposed state and declared unfit for human consumption.

The council also identified illegal repackaging of cooking oil and unregulated food packaging operations, raising further public health concerns.

Authorities said several illegal operations were shut down immediately, while others were fined or referred for further enforcement action. The exercise also responded to public complaints involving unlicensed butcheries, illegal bottle stores and environmental pollution.

Council officials have announced plans for an interdepartmental enforcement blitz targeting illegal butcheries and food businesses, particularly in high-density suburbs where repeat violations have been recorded.

Sibanda stressed the importance of compliance in protecting public health, noting that routine inspections would continue across the city.

"Routine inspections are essential to ensure that all food outlets and businesses operate within the required health and safety standards. Where non-compliance is detected, enforcement action is taken without compromise," he said.

Health authorities said follow-up inspections would continue across Bulawayo to ensure adherence to safety regulations and protect consumers from unsafe food products.