Johannesburg – Zimbabwean controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo, known for his lavish lifestyle and close ties to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, is facing intense scrutiny from both South African and American authorities over a suspected money laundering scheme involving R800 million (over $40 million USD) linked to Zimbabwe's 2023 general elections.
South Africa's Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has reportedly flagged Chivayo's activities to the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other international agencies, raising concerns about the flow of illicit funds across borders. The FIC's investigation reveals a complex web of transactions involving a South African printing company, Ren-Form, and several Chivayo-linked entities, suggesting a sophisticated money laundering operation.
The investigation stems from a deal between the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) and Ren-Form, where the latter was contracted to supply election materials in conjunction with the Zimbabwean Ministry of Finance. Between April 2023 and May 2024, Ren-Form received R1.1 billion (over $60 million USD) through Zimbabwean government accounts, including those of the Reserve Bank and First Rand Bank.
According to FIC case MIREF-240719-0000003, Chivayo allegedly acted as an agent between the Zimbabwean government and Ren-Form. A staggering R800 million was then transferred to companies linked to Chivayo, including Intratek Holdings, Edenbreeze Pty Ltd, and Dolintel Trading. Reports also indicate that some of the funds were deposited directly into Chivayo's personal account.
The FIC flagged these transactions as a classic money laundering tactic known as layering, where funds are moved through multiple accounts and entities to obscure their origin. Following their investigation, the FIC opened a formal money laundering case against Chivayo.
Adding to Chivayo's woes, the FIC is said to have reported the cash movements to the FBI and the United States Department of Justice. As an agent for Ren-Form, Chivayo may now face charges of money laundering, fraud, and corruption in both South Africa and the United States.
The scandal has ignited a firestorm of criticism in Zimbabwe, with former opposition leader Nelson Chamisa expressing deep concern over the rampant corruption. Chamisa used the metaphor "a fish rots from the head down" to describe the situation, suggesting that the problems stem from poor leadership and unethical behaviour at the highest levels of government.
Writing on social media, Chamisa stated, "CORRUPTION STINKS- A FISH ROTS FROM THE HEAD….For almost 27 years, I’ve stood firm against corruption in all its forms. Not for applause, not for loves and likes, or to trend, but because I believe Zimbabweans deserve better. It’s no longer enough to simply point out the rot — we all live it. The time has come to FIX IT. It begins with changing the system that enables it. Not just a change of faces, but a total renewal of values and vows. Our vision is for a transformational and developmental government that serves — not steals."
The South African Financial Intelligence Centre has referred Zimbabwean tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo's corrupt US$100 million Zimbabwe Electoral Commission tender scandal to police and South African Revenue Service for further investigation.
Chivayo was paid R800 million (over U$40 million) out of R1.2 billion (US$66 million) – which is 67% – in taxpayers' funds partly paid by the Zimbabwean government Treasury to Reform CC, a South African printing company which supplied voting materials for Zimbabwe's general elections in 2023.
A Renform agent who was part of a team which negotiated the deal, Chivayo got paid in South Africa amid corruption and money laundering activities.
The South African Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) has also shared its findings with South Africa's priority crimes unit (the Hawks), Crime Intelligence, and the South African Revenue Service (Sars).
The Daily Maverick previously reported on how Ren-Form allegedly supplied overpriced election materials to Zimbabwe in partnership with Chivayo. The NewsHawks newspaper in Zimbabwe revealed that Ren-Form had invoiced the ZEC R23-million for a server that typically costs R90,000 and charged R68,700 for portable toilets retailing for around R10,000 per unit. Chivayo was also recorded discussing the sharing of the ZEC tender proceeds with Zimbabwean officials.
Jean-Pierre du Sart, Ren-Form's sales director, confirmed that Chivayo was one of their agents in Zimbabwe. "He’s one of our agents over there, so there’s nothing wrong with that," du Sart said.
The leaked FIC report reveals that "Ren-Form received over R1 billion from the Zimbabwe Ministry of Finance and Economic development. More than R800-million was transferred to the business bank accounts of Wicknell Chivayo." The FIC report analysed bank accounts belonging to Ren-Form and Chivayo, finding that Chivayo’s businesses frequently transferred money on to his personal accounts.
Chivayo is a larger-than-life socialite often seen in President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s company. In leaked audio, Chivayo claimed that the president calls him “my son.” After the scandal first broke, amid speculation about which officials were being discussed receiving payments, Chivayo said the recordings were faked and apologised to Mnangagwa, ZEC chair Justice Priscilla Chigumba and other officials for creating the “adverse impression” that their institutions “are involved in corruption or participate in illicit transactions”.
Chivayo is also known for a luxury fleet of cars, including some he has gifted to politically connected individuals in Zimbabwe. The FIC report identified R36.5-million in payments from Chivayo’s Standard Bank account between January 2023 and September 2024 that “appear to be payments towards car purchases”.
The revelation that eight in ten rands sent to Ren-Form by the Zimbabwean government were passed on to Chivayo’s business bank accounts will raise new questions about the purpose of those commission payments. The leaked investigation, originally obtained by Zimbabwean media outlet ZimLive, names some of the recipients of Chivayo’s funds. They include entities controlled by businessmen allegedly linked to the remittance payment industry in Zimbabwe, suggesting some of those funds may have found their way back to Harare.
The report also shows how, in addition to paying Ren-Form, Zimbabwe’s Finance Ministry also paid R157-million directly to Chivayo’s South African-registered firm, Edenbreeze. These payments occurred in July and September 2024, after the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission announced its investigation. That probe has apparently stalled.
The FIC report concluded that “criminal activity cannot be ruled out” and urged its Zimbabwean counterpart to commence investigations.
Ren-Form has denied any wrongdoing, stating that the ZEC contract was lawfully awarded and pledging to cooperate with investigations. Chivayo has dismissed the leaked material as fake, claiming he was not involved in supplying goods and services to the ZEC and that any subcontracting relationships his companies may have had with Ren-Form were subject to commercial confidentiality. Chivayo denied any payments made by him or his businesses were kickbacks and said, “the assumption that the size of or nature of a payment implies this is both legally untenable and analytically flawed”.
ZEC chairperson Justice Chigumba directed questions about tendering to the ZEC's management, who did not respond to requests for comment. The ZEC has previously denied any wrongdoing.
Chivayo’s actions, particularly the ZEC deal, have had severe repercussions for Zimbabwe’s standing on the international banking scene, often with disastrous consequences. Between 2019 and 2022, Zimbabwe was placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) gray list, a designation for countries at high risk of money laundering and terrorism financing. During this period, the country lost well over 100 international banking relationships, leaving it with just two correspondent banking relationships, as reported by the RBZ in 2021–2022. The RBZ described the gray list as a “curse,” noting that it led to the termination of correspondent bank relationships and made establishing new ones nearly impossible. For example, banks like FBC struggled to move money to New York, making transactions tedious and expensive, a burden that ultimately increased costs for ordinary Zimbabweans and businesses.
After years of reforms, Zimbabwe was removed from the FATF gray list, a significant achievement that lowered banking costs and improved the country’s ability to function in the global financial system. However, Chivayo’s latest dealings threaten to undo this progress. The ZEC deal, described as “state-sponsored money laundering,” involved payments that were flagged by South African authorities for their inexplicable and criminal nature. Some of the funds were transferred to a Zimbabwe-based business with an FNB account in South Africa, which had already been flagged for money laundering. This business, currently under investigation, allowed individuals to send up to R1 million out of Zimbabwe into South Africa with no questions asked, bypassing formal banking processes and making it ripe for exploitation. The company even switched accounts and names to evade South African authorities, who were closing in on its operations.
South African authorities, unable to believe that payments from a government’s finance ministry could be corrupt, raised the issue with international partners, including the United States Department of Justice. Documents reveal that some of the funds Chivayo received from the ZEC deal made their way to the United States and Southeast Asia, where he has family members. South Africa, fulfilling its duty of care, notified these countries that the money stemmed from corrupt activities, urging Zimbabwean authorities to take action to combat international crime. Instead, the Finance Ministry was actively facilitating the crime, with a rogue permanent secretary authorizing payments outside of due process in what was an outright criminal deal.
The involvement of a government ministry in such blatant corruption has reignited concerns about Zimbabwe’s compliance with anti-money laundering laws. Governments are typically assumed to be transparent and authentic, which is why the initial payments to Chivayo for “technical products” were not immediately flagged by banks despite their suspicious nature. However, when the truth emerged—particularly after ZEC initially denied the deal in 2024, labeling reports as “fake news,” only for it to be confirmed that R800 million of the R1.3 billion paid had gone to Chivayo—the damage to Zimbabwe’s credibility was profound. The state’s dishonesty, coupled with its active role in financial crime, has led to fears that Zimbabwe could be placed back on the FATF gray list, undoing years of hard work by officials to restore the country’s financial reputation.
The potential return to the gray list would have devastating consequences. It would further isolate Zimbabwe from the global financial system, increase the cost of banking for individuals and businesses, and exacerbate the country’s economic woes, where 95% of the population is unemployed and the Zimbabwe dollar has depreciated by 98% since 2020. The RBZ’s efforts to rebuild international banking relationships would be in vain, and ordinary Zimbabweans, already struggling with hyperinflation and food insecurity, would bear the brunt of the increased financial isolation.
While Chivayo may feel untouchable in Zimbabwe—evidenced by the imprisonment of his former partners Chimombe and Mpofu, who leaked his voice notes, while he remains free—his actions have drawn the attention of international authorities. South African financial watchdogs, upon discovering the corrupt nature of the ZEC payments, alerted their counterparts in the United States, where some of the funds had been transferred. The FBI and the United States Department of Justice are now aware of Chivayo’s activities, with reports indicating that they have “thick files” on him as of April 2025. The U.S. has a history of pursuing individuals involved in global financial crime, as seen in the case of a former Mozambican finance minister arrested in South Africa, where the U.S. had an active interest.
South Africa, unwilling to risk its relationship with the U.S. for Chivayo’s sake, is unlikely to shield him if legal action is pursued. If the U.S. determines that any of the funds were used to finance terrorism—a suspicion raised by some of the documents—Chivayo could face serious consequences. While it is too early to predict the outcome, Chivayo’s situation mirrors that of Shepherd Bushiri, a Malawian prophet facing extradition to South Africa for fraud. Bushiri, protected by his relationship with Malawian President Lazarus Chakwera, remains in Malawi, but would likely be arrested if he traveled to countries like Kenya or Dubai, where he lacks political protection. Similarly, Chivayo’s influence in Zimbabwe may not extend to South Africa or the U.S., potentially leaving him vulnerable to extradition or arrest if he leaves the country.
Political Connections and Alleged State Capture
Chivayo’s rise to prominence is inextricably linked to his ties with ZANU-PF and its leadership, particularly President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He has been a vocal supporter of Mnangagwa, describing himself as a “strong ZANU-PF supporter” who sides with all “ED loyalists.” His relationship with the ruling party dates back to the Mugabe era, with reports linking him to former First Lady Grace Mugabe and the Generation 40 (G40) faction of ZANU-PF, which sought to position Grace as Mugabe’s successor. Chivayo’s association with G40 was evident in his 2017 apology to former Higher Education Minister Jonathan Moyo, a G40 member, where he offered to donate $50,000 worth of educational materials to a school in Tsholotsho District.
Since Mnangagwa’s rise to power in 2017, Chivayo has cultivated a close relationship with the President, often posting photos with him on social media and boasting of his influence. In a leaked audio from June 2024, Chivayo claimed to have “captured” Mnangagwa and the system, stating that he was the President’s “blue-eyed boy” and had a “tight grip” on the government, securing all important contracts. He even claimed that Mnangagwa considered him a son. This audio sparked outrage among Zimbabweans, with the ZANU-PF Youth League issuing a statement on June 12, 2024, ordering Chivayo to stop denigrating Mnangagwa’s image and warning him to stay away from party politics. The Youth League emphasized that Chivayo was not a ZANU-PF activist and accused him of abusing his access to leadership for personal gain.
