Mugabe's son arrested after shooting security guard in Johannesburg

Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the 28-year-old son of the late former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, has been arrested in Gauteng after allegedly shooting a 23-year-old gardener at his Hyde Park home. Police were called to the scene following reports of gunfire on Thursday afternoon. The victim was transported to hospital in critical condition.

Authorities recovered a cartridge at the scene but are still searching for the firearm used in the incident. Mugabe and a 24-year-old accomplice were taken into custody after initially refusing police entry to the property. This arrest adds to a series of legal issues facing Mugabe, who is reportedly linked to multiple cases in both South Africa and Zimbabwe, including allegations of assault and firearms-related offences. Investigations are ongoing, and formal charges are expected once preliminary inquiries are completed.

Bellarmine Mugabe has previously been linked to several violent incidents. In July 2025, he appeared in court in Zimbabwe after a violent confrontation with security guards at Ultimate Mining in Mazowe, near Harare. Court reports indicated that at least three guards were seriously injured during the incident and a gunshot was heard. He faced charges of grievous bodily harm. In August 2024, he was arrested for assaulting a police officer in Matabeleland South when a vehicle he was traveling in was stopped for a routine check.

He is the youngest of three children born to Robert and Grace Mugabe. Bellarmine and his brother Robert Jr. divide their time between Harare and Johannesburg. Their mother reportedly travels frequently between Zimbabwe, Dubai, and Singapore but is currently unable to enter South Africa due to an unrelated assault case from 2017, in which she was involved after a confrontation with South African model Gabriella Engels.

Sources close to the latest incident have suggested that alcohol and drug use may have played a role in the altercation, though official confirmation from police has not been made. Insiders describe substance abuse as a serious problem within some of Mugabe's social circles. Police have not yet released formal statements detailing charges, bail status, or Mugabe's next court appearance.