Excerpt: Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has denied being a “person of interest” in South Africa, insisting he is free to travel and has committed no crime, even as scrutiny intensifies following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s recent Zimbabwe visit and ongoing cross-border financial investigations previously reported by ZiGoats.
By Advent Shoko
Highly polarising Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has pushed back strongly against mounting allegations linking him to ongoing investigations in South Africa, declaring that he is “just an interesting person” and not a “person of interest.”
The explosive statement follows days of political backlash and online speculation after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa visited Zimbabwe and was hosted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa during a private engagement at Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe.
Images and reports showing Chivayo among individuals accompanying the Zimbabwean leader quickly triggered controversy in both Zimbabwe and South Africa, with critics questioning why Ramaphosa appeared alongside a businessman whose name has repeatedly surfaced in corruption and financial crime allegations.
Responding publicly for the first time, Chivayo dismissed the accusations with sarcasm and defiance. He wrote:
“I AM JUST AN INTERESTING PERSON… NOT A PERSON OF INTEREST.”
He insisted he is not wanted in Zimbabwe, South Africa, or any other jurisdiction, adding that he travels openly through official immigration channels without restriction. He said:
“If I were indeed some ‘person of interest’ as social media prosecutors allege, I would obviously have been detained, questioned, indicted or subjected to some form of official process.”
Chivayo also claimed that no individual can get close to a sitting Head of State without extensive security clearance, arguing that his inclusion in the delegation welcoming Ramaphosa should not be treated as suspicious. He added:
“It is astonishing that some sections of the public appear to believe businessmen who were present during the visit simply emerged from nowhere.”
His remarks, however, arrive against the backdrop of ongoing scrutiny from South African authorities.
In January 2026, ZiGoats reported that South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, widely known as the Hawks, confirmed that investigations involving alleged suspicious financial flows linked to companies associated with Chivayo were still “hot and active.”
The probe reportedly centres on transactions exceeding US$3.2 billion flagged through Financial Intelligence Centre reports and anti-money laundering monitoring systems.
At the time, investigators indicated that the inquiry involved complex forensic analysis spanning multiple jurisdictions and banking systems, stressing that no decision had been made to close the matter.
The allegations have over the years transformed Chivayo into one of Zimbabwe’s most polarising businessmen, admired by supporters as a politically connected entrepreneur and criticised by opponents who view him as a symbol of opaque state-linked contracting.
In his latest statement, Chivayo described the allegations as a politically motivated smear campaign driven by critics angered by his open support for ZANU PF and South Africa’s ANC.
He also dismissed renewed references to past election-related controversies and his divorce proceedings in South Africa, arguing that civil litigation does not make someone a criminal suspect. He said:
“The existence of an interim court order or rule nisi does not convert anyone into a fugitive.”
The businessman further distanced himself from legal issues involving his younger brother, Joachim Chivayo, saying individual legal matters should not be conflated because of the family surname.
Joachim was arrested in Johannesburg on 26 November 2024 by South Africa’s Hawks over alleged possession of gold bars valued at around R15 million. He was reportedly intercepted at Helderwyk Estate while attempting to find a buyer for gold suspected to have been smuggled from Zimbabwe, a case that has intensified scrutiny of cross-border mineral trafficking networks and politically exposed individuals linked to the sector.
The matter later escalated in February 2026 when reports indicated a warrant of arrest was issued after Joacham Chivayo and co-accused Brian Gungwa breached bail conditions and failed to appear in court. The case has been frequently referenced in wider governance debates, with former Finance Minister Tendai Biti warning that Zimbabwe is losing an estimated US$4–6 billion annually through illicit financial flows such as gold smuggling, a pattern he argues reflects systemic weaknesses in mineral revenue enforcement.
But beyond the fiery social media exchanges, the controversy now touches deeper questions around political proximity, business influence, cross-border financial investigations, and public accountability in Southern Africa.
For critics, the issue is not merely whether Chivayo has been charged.
It is whether politically connected businessmen facing serious public allegations should continue appearing at the centre of high-level state engagements while investigations remain unresolved.
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