Zim GBC News | South African Correspondent
Zimbabwean UFC fighter Themba Gorimbo has ignited fierce debate with explosive comments calling for the imprisonment of Chatunga Mugabe, following the late former President Robert Mugabe’s son’s arrest in South Africa on attempted murder charges.
Gorimbo took to social media to demand Chatunga’s arrest after an alleged shooting incident involving a 23-year-old gardener at the Mugabe residence in Johannesburg’s upmarket Hyde Park suburb on February 19 .
Gorimbo Demands Accountability
The MMA star argued that many Zimbabweans are “confused” and defending privilege instead of basic human life. According to him, people focus on protecting Chatunga because he is former president Robert Mugabe’s son, while the man who was reportedly shot receives far less sympathy and support online.
For Gorimbo, that imbalance shows how fear and hero worship still shape national conversations. He insisted that “fair is fair” and called for equal treatment before the law, believing Chatunga should face trial like “any other criminal around the world” .
Stinging Attack on Mugabe Legacy
Gorimbo’s comments went beyond the current case to sharply criticise Robert Mugabe’s long rule. He labelled the late leader a “ruthless dictator” who terrorised Zimbabweans for decades without consequences. In his view, those days must end permanently, along with any assumed immunity for his children .
He argued that hatred of South Africa should not blind Zimbabweans to the truth, noting that South Africa currently shelters and employs millions fleeing hardship in Zimbabwe. Gorimbo openly admitted feeling “bitter” about the Mugabe family’s history and lasting influence, using the Shona phrase “mwana wenyoka inyoka” (the child of a snake is a snake) to stress that lineage should not guarantee protection .
Court Proceedings Continue
Meanwhile, Chatunga Mugabe (28) and his co-accused, Tobias Matonhodze Mugabe (33), appeared at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court in Johannesburg on Monday, where they were remanded in custody until March 3 for a formal bail application .
The pair face charges of attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and unlawful possession of a firearm. The charges stem from the shooting of a gardener at the Hyde Park residence, who remains in hospital in critical condition .
Gauteng provincial police spokesperson Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed that while investigators recovered a cartridge at the scene, the firearm allegedly used in the shooting has not been found despite searches by K9 units and forensic teams .
Mother’s Absence Explained
Notably, former First Lady Grace Mugabe did not attend her son’s court appearance amid fears she could be arrested on an outstanding warrant linked to a 2017 assault case.
Grace Mugabe is still wanted in connection with an incident in which she allegedly assaulted 20-year-old South African model Gabriella Engels with an extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel. Although she was initially granted diplomatic immunity, the decision was later ruled unlawful and unconstitutional by the High Court, leaving her exposed to possible arrest should she return to South Africa .
The altercation reportedly followed her discovery of Engels in a room with her sons, Robert Jnr and Chatunga, at the time .
Divided Reactions
Unsurprisingly, Gorimbo’s outburst split opinion across timelines and comment sections. Some Zimbabweans praised his courage, thanking him for speaking against political sacred cows. Others accused him of disrespecting the Mugabe family and seeking attention through controversy .
Yet Gorimbo appears unshaken, maintaining that justice must supersede nostalgia and partisan loyalty. He emphasised that he speaks as a concerned countryman, not as a politician or analyst.
Additional Charges
The State prosecutor revealed at the hearing that the gun allegedly used in the shooting had not yet been found and that investigations were “far from over” . The pair also face a theft charge, with prosecutors alleging that after the victim was shot, one of the accused took a remote control from him as he lay injured .
Chatunga’s legal troubles extend beyond South Africa. In 2025, he was arrested in Zimbabwe following a violent confrontation at a gold mining concession in Mazowe and was later granted bail on assault-related charges. That matter remains unresolved .
The Hyde Park case has revived memories of the 2017 diplomatic storm involving Grace Mugabe, which strained relations between Harare and Pretoria and triggered a landmark court ruling on diplomatic immunity.
Proceedings in the Hyde Park shooting case are set to resume on March 3 .
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