Chivayo Ex-Wife Arrested Over Alleged Ramaphosa Video Claims Amid Growing Political Storm

HARARE – Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s former wife, Sonja Madzikanda, was arrested in Harare on Monday after Chivayo accused her of stealing a device allegedly containing a “compromising” video involving South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. Madzikanda was detained at Highlands Police Station following the complaint lodged by Chivayo, a controversial tenderpreneur closely linked to President Emmerson Mnangagwa and several African political figures. The arrest has triggered intense debate in both Zimbabwe and South Africa after allegations surfaced that the disputed footage could contradict previous statements from the South African presidency regarding Ramaphosa’s relationship with Chivayo.

According to Madzikanda, the disputed footage allegedly shows Ramaphosa meeting Chivayo privately long before the South African leader’s official visit to Zimbabwe earlier this month. The South African presidency previously insisted Ramaphosa had no prior relationship with Chivayo when the businessman appeared alongside Mnangagwa during the state visit to Kwekwe. South African presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya had described Chivayo as merely a “person of interest” to South African authorities and denied claims that Ramaphosa knew him personally.

However, social media activist Rutendo Matinyarare later shared an image allegedly extracted from the disputed video, appearing to show Ramaphosa and Chivayo seated together in an informal private setting. Political analyst Alexander Rusero said the controversy could damage public trust if conflicting narratives continue to emerge.

“When public officials deny relationships or meetings that later appear documented, it inevitably creates credibility concerns and fuels political speculation,” Rusero told local media.

Speaking outside the police station before her detention, Madzikanda denied stealing any electronic device and accused Chivayo of weaponising his political connections.

“This is a man surrounded by heavy security, yet somehow I am accused of stealing a device containing videos of presidents,” she said in a video circulating online. “I am being arrested because he sends around videos and photographs with heads of state to intimidate people.”

Madzikanda also claimed the arrest escalated after she opened a fraud case against Chivayo earlier this year in Pretoria. Her South African lawyer, Nolufefe Felicia Samalenge, has since accused investigators of leaking confidential statements to Chivayo. In correspondence reportedly sent to prosecutors in South Africa, Samalenge warned that the alleged leak placed her client and relatives “in mortal danger.”

Chivayo has become one of Zimbabwe’s most controversial businessmen due to his proximity to senior political leaders and lucrative government-linked contracts. His social media accounts frequently feature photographs with regional presidents and senior officials from countries including South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, and Mozambique. The latest controversy has also revived discussion around Ramaphosa’s earlier Phala Phala scandal controversy, with critics questioning transparency around political and business relationships. Neither Chivayo nor the South African presidency had issued fresh official comments by Tuesday evening.

Wicknell Chivayo