South African authorities have confirmed that Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo remains under active investigation, dismissing any speculation that the probe has been dropped.
The investigation, led by South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), centers on a web of suspicious financial transactions and a corruption dossier alleging that over $3.2 billion was diverted from Zimbabwe’s public funds through inflated contracts and non-transparent tenders.
The probe was reportedly triggered by alerts from South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), which flagged unusually large sums of money moving from Zimbabwean public institutions into South African companies linked to Chivayo.
Investigators are scrutinizing these complex money flows, which are considered classic indicators of potential money laundering.
Sources indicate that law enforcement agencies, including the South African Revenue Service (SARS) and the South African Police Service (SAPS), are now moving toward a possible arrest and prosecution based on the FIC’s forensic analysis.
A central focus of the investigation is Chivayo’s role as an agent for Ren-Form CC, a Johannesburg-based printing company that was awarded contracts to supply materials for Zimbabwe’s August 2023 general election without a public tender.
Financial records show that after Zimbabwe’s treasury paid Ren-Form over R1.1 billion, more than R800 million (about US$42 million) was rapidly funneled to companies controlled by Chivayo, such as Intratrek Holdings and Dolintel Trading Enterprise.
The investigation uncovered that Ren-Form allegedly inflated the prices of election materials astronomically; for instance, a central server valued at R90,000 was invoiced at R23 million, and non-flushing toilets were billed at nearly seven times their retail cost.
This scandal came to light partly due to a falling-out between Chivayo and his business associates, which resulted in leaked audio clips and messages.
In the recordings, a voice alleged to be Chivayo’s boasts about his close relationship with senior Zimbabwean officials and President Emmerson Mnangagwa, claiming this influence helps him secure lucrative state contracts.
While Chivayo has denied the voice on the recordings is his and apologized for the impression created, the revelations have fueled public anger.
Back in Zimbabwe, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has opened its own investigation and has faced public pressure and even internal turmoil, including a bizarre incident where its official X account was allegedly hacked to post calls for Chivayo’s arrest.
For his part, Chivayo denies any wrongdoing, insisting his business dealings are lawful and that the leaked documents are fakes.
Ren-Form has also denied inflating prices to pay bribes, citing confidentiality clauses for not providing specific details about the contracts while acknowledging that investigations are ongoing.
Meanwhile, Chivayo’s former associates who exposed the deal have since been arrested in Zimbabwe on unrelated charges, a move critics suggest was intended to silence them.
As South African authorities continue to follow the money trail, pressure is mounting for accountability that may ultimately come from Johannesburg rather than Harare.
