Ramaphosa sends condolences over Chivayo's death

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has sent a condolence message to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa following the death of businessman Wicknell Chivayo, despite previously saying he had no prior knowledge of the controversial businessman.

Ramaphosa joins Kenyan President William Ruto and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan in conveying condolences to Mnangagwa following the September 30 helicopter crash near Marondera that killed Chivayo, his wife Lucy "Lulu" Muteke and three others.

Zimbabwean presidential spokesman George Charamba confirmed that Ramaphosa had communicated his condolences, although he declined to disclose the contents of the South African leader's message.

Writing on X, Charamba said: "Thank you Presidents Ruto, Hassan and Ramaphosa for commiserating with us."

Hassan travelled to Zimbabwe on Tuesday in a largely private visit, arriving at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport before being driven to Chivayo's Gletwin home, where mourners have gathered ahead of Thursday's burial at Glen Forest Memorial.

Journalists and mourners were reportedly instructed not to take photographs or videos of the Tanzanian president's visit. However, footage of her motorcade travelling through Harare and a photograph of her military aircraft departing Zimbabwe later emerged.

Sources said Hassan spent slightly more than 30 minutes at the Chivayo family home before paying a courtesy call on Mnangagwa and returning to the airport. She was in Zimbabwe for less than three hours.

The Tanzanian president had been expected to attend the official opening of the 153rd Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Arusha, where about 2,000 lawmakers from around the world are gathered, but instead delivered a pre-recorded video message.

Chivayo's uncle and family spokesman, Herbert Chivayo, said on Tuesday that the family had been informed by the government that foreign dignitaries would attend the funeral.

"We are expecting them from today onwards. As Zimbabweans, we must demonstrate that we can mourn in peace and in unity," he said.

He did not disclose the identities of the expected dignitaries.

Chivayo had cultivated relationships with several political leaders across the region and was frequently seen with Ruto, Hassan and Eswatini's King Mswati III. He also shared photographs of meetings with leaders from Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia and Nigeria.

His links to Ramaphosa had previously attracted scrutiny.

In May, Chivayo travelled in the same helicopter as Mnangagwa and Ramaphosa during a flight from Harare to the Zimbabwean president's farm in Kwekwe.

The flight came under scrutiny after South African media reported that Chivayo was a person of interest to law enforcement authorities in a money-laundering investigation in South Africa.

Ramaphosa's spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, subsequently sought to distance the president from Chivayo, saying the president had not known in advance who would be present during the Zimbabwe visit.

"The presidency has noted with concern the reports that have surfaced following the president's visit to Zimbabwe, identifying an individual who is a person of interest to our law enforcement, who was also present during the visit," Magwenya said at the time.

"President Ramaphosa had no prior knowledge of who will be present during the visit, nor was he familiar with the said individual.

"The president flew to Zimbabwe for a meeting with his counterpart and nothing else."

Ramaphosa's latest condolence message is likely to draw renewed attention to the previously reported links between the South African president and Chivayo, including claims that the businessman had made donations to the governing African National Congress and had met Ramaphosa privately on several occasions.