Deported Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe Reportedly Spotted in Midrand as SAPS and Home Affairs Stay Silent
MIDRAND | Months after being deported from South Africa following a high-profile criminal case, Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe has reportedly been seen shopping at Pick n Pay Waterfall Corner in Midrand, raising fresh questions about his presence in the country.
The reported sighting has sparked renewed public interest, particularly because Mugabe was deported to Zimbabwe after concluding a plea agreement that brought an end to his South African criminal case.
As of publication, neither the South African Police Service (SAPS) nor the Department of Home Affairs has issued an official statement confirming or denying the reported sighting or clarifying his current immigration status.
Mugabe’s legal troubles in South Africa came to a close in April 2026 through a plea agreement rather than a full trial on the original charges against him.
He pleaded guilty to pointing a firearm at his personal gardener and also admitted to contravening South Africa’s Immigration Act by remaining in the country unlawfully.
The court imposed a fine of R400,000 for the firearm offence, with an alternative sentence of 24 months’ imprisonment if the fine was not paid. He was also fined R200,000 for the immigration offence, with an alternative sentence of 18 months’ imprisonment.
After paying the combined R600,000 fine, Mugabe was deported to Zimbabwe.
The plea agreement significantly altered the outcome of the case. Prosecutors had initially pursued far more serious charges, including attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and defeating the ends of justice following a shooting incident at his Johannesburg residence.
However, Mugabe was ultimately convicted only of the offences to which he pleaded guilty.
His co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to imprisonment.
Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe is the youngest son of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and former First Lady Grace Mugabe. Born in Harare in 1997, he spent much of his early life at the family’s well-known Blue Roof residence during his father’s 37-year rule.
Since the Mugabe family’s removal from power in 2017 and the death of Robert Mugabe in 2019, Chatunga has remained a prominent public figure. Media coverage has frequently focused on his business interests as well as his legal challenges in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
The reported Midrand sighting has reignited questions about his movements and whether he has legally re-entered South Africa following his deportation.
At the time of publication, no official confirmation has been provided by SAPS or the Department of Home Affairs regarding the reported sighting. Until authorities respond, the circumstances surrounding Mugabe’s reported presence in South Africa remain unclear.
