High life to handcuffs | What we know about the life of Chatunga Mugabe
Born into the Mugabe dynasty, Chatunga grew up in the iconic Blue Roof residence in Borrowdale, Harare.
Image: IOL Graphics
For much of his young adult life, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe has exuded an aura of luxury, wealth, and the carefree privilege that accompanies being the youngest son of Zimbabwe's long-time ruler, Robert Mugabe.
However, the 28-year-old's glamorous image is now intertwined with serious legal troubles, as he faces attempted murder charges in South Africa while being out on bail in Zimbabwe on separate assault allegations.
Born into the Mugabe dynasty, Chatunga grew up in the iconic Blue Roof residence in Borrowdale, Harare.
This sprawling mansion became a symbol of elite privilege during Robert Mugabe’s 37-year reign. Its extensive grounds and heavy security offered a stark contrast to the economic turmoil that plagued Zimbabwe, embodying the disconnect felt by ordinary citizens confronting chronic hyperinflation and unemployment.
As the Mugabe family's fortunes unfolded, Chatunga and his older brother, Robert Mugabe Jr., gravitated towards South Africa’s affluent enclaves, particularly in Johannesburg. Their opulent lifestyle, frequently showcased on social media, included luxury vehicles, high-end designer brands, and abundant displays of cash, inviting both fascination and criticism.
The imposing Blue Roof residence in Borrowdale, Harare — the longtime home of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe — became a symbol of elite privilege during his 37-year rule.
Image: The Herald Zimbabwe
The Hyde Park residence, where Chatunga was recently arrested, is nestled in one of Johannesburg’s most exclusive neighbourhoods, with past reports linking it to the Mugabe family's interests in Gauteng.
Following a violent incident at this property, police seized a BMW equipped with sirens and flashing lights, prompting a deeper investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting that has thrust him into the public spotlight once again.
Chatunga's legal entanglements extend back to at least 2025 when he was arrested following a violent altercation at a gold mining concession in Mazowe, an area intimately connected to Mugabe family assets.
He and others faced multiple assault charges, with the court consequently granting him bail to the tune of approximately US$200, a rare reprieve amidst a turbulent legal narrative.
Gauteng police are searching for a firearm after a gardener was shot and left in a critical condition at a Hyde Park residence where former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe's son Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe resides
Image: Screengrab/ SABC
This is not the Mugabe family's first brush with the law in South Africa. The saga stretches back to 2017 when Grace Mugabe faced off against charges of assaulting model Gabriella Engels, a case that intensified diplomatic tensions and ultimately saw her fleeing the country amid a botched attempt to secure diplomatic immunity.
The legal storm brewing around Chatunga is significant, both in its implications and its timing. As Dr Gideon Chitanga, an expert in international relations, emphasises, the prospect of invoking diplomatic immunity is at best tenuous.
“Robert Mugabe is just a former president and he is gone... They [the Mugabe family] reside in South Africa as private individuals rather than accredited representatives of the Zimbabwean government,” he argues, highlighting the complex legal landscape in which Chatunga now finds himself.
The contrast between the lavish Blue Roof in Zimbabwe and the Hyde Park estate in Johannesburg serves not just as a backdrop to Chatunga’s life but as a stark reminder of the privileges once guaranteed by his father’s regime.
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