HARARE – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent a condolence message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa following the death of tender tycoon Wicknell Chivayo, despite previously denying that he knew the businessman. Kenyan President William Ruto and Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan have also sent messages of condolence to Mnangagwa following the September 30 helicopter crash […]

HARARE – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent a condolence message to President Emmerson Mnangagwa following the death of tender tycoon Wicknell Chivayo, despite previously denying that he knew the businessman.

Kenyan President William Ruto and Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu Hassan have also sent messages of condolence to Mnangagwa following the September 30 helicopter crash near Marondera that killed Chivayo, his wife Lucy and three others, the Zimbabwean presidency said.

Presidential spokesman George Charamba confirmed that Ramaphosa had communicated his condolences, although he declined to disclose what the South African leader had said.

Writing on X, Charamba said: “Thank you Presidents Ruto, Hassan and Ramaphosa for commiserating with us.”

Hassan travelled to Zimbabwe on Tuesday, arriving and leaving under a cloud of secrecy.

She was driven from Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport to Chivayo’s Gletwin home, where mourners are gathered ahead of burial at Glen Forest Memorial on Thursday.

Journalists and mourners were ordered not to take photographs or videos of her visit, although a video of her motorcade driving through Harare and picture of her military aircraft taking off later emerged.

Sources said after spending just over 30 minutes at the Chivayo home, she paid a courtesy call on President Emmerson Mnangagwa before heading back to the airport. She was on the ground in Zimbabwe for less than three hours.

The Tanzanian president had been expected to attend the official opening of the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Arusha, Tanzania, where about 2,000 lawmakers from around the world are attending, but instead sent a pre-recorded video message.

Chivayo’s uncle and family spokesman, Herbert Chivayo, said on Tuesday that the family had been informed by the government that foreign dignitaries would attend the funeral.

“We are expecting them from today onwards. As Zimbabweans, we must demonstrate that we can mourn in peace and in unity,” he said.

He did not reveal the identities of the foreign dignitaries and heads of state.

Chivayo cultivated close relationships with political leaders across the region, often appearing alongside Ruto, Hassan and Eswatini’s King Mswati III. He also posted photographs of meetings with the presidents of Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Nigeria as his tentacles spread.

His links to Ramaphosa, however, have previously attracted controversy.

In May, Chivayo flew in the same helicopter as Mnangagwa and Ramaphosa from Harare to Mnangagwa’s farm in Kwekwe.

The flight drew scrutiny after South African media reported that Chivayo was a person of interest to law enforcement in a money-laundering investigation in that country.

Ramaphosa’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, subsequently sought to distance the president from Chivayo.

“The presidency has noted with concern the reports that have surfaced following the president’s visit to Zimbabwe, identifying an individual who is a person of interest to our law enforcement, who was also present during the visit.

“President Ramaphosa had no prior knowledge of who will be present during the visit, nor was he familiar with the said individual.

“The president flew to Zimbabwe for a meeting with his counterpart and nothing else.”

The revelation that Ramaphosa has now sent condolences to Mnangagwa over Chivayo’s death is likely to renew scrutiny of the relationship between the two men, amid claims that Chivayo previously made donations to the ruling African National Congress and had met Ramaphosa privately on several occasions.-Zimlive