Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of the late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, has been arrested in connection with a shooting at his family's residence in the affluent suburb of Hyde Park.
The incident, which occurred late Thursday, has left a household employee in critical condition and once again thrust the controversial Mugabe family into the South African legal spotlight.
According to reports from the South African Police Service (SAPS), officers were called to the Hyde Park property following a domestic dispute that escalated into violence. A gardener employed at the residence was found with a single gunshot wound and was rushed to a local hospital, where he remains in intensive care.
Authorities confirmed that two men were taken into custody at the scene. While SAPS typically refrains from naming suspects until a formal court appearance, family lawyer Ashley Mugiya confirmed to the press that 29-year-old Chatunga Mugabe was one of those detained.
“The motive of the shooting is unknown at this stage, and police investigations are under way,” said Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi.
The two suspects are expected to appear in the Alexandra Magistrate's Court soon to face charges of attempted murder.
Forensic teams remain at the Hyde Park residence searching for the weapon and additional ballistics evidence.
Legal troubles and legacy
This arrest is the latest in a series of legal entanglements for the Mugabe brothers in South Africa. Just months prior, in October 2025, Chatunga had been questioned in a separate matter involving alleged drug possession.
The Mugabe family has maintained a presence in Johannesburg since the late Robert Mugabe was ousted from power in 2017. The former president passed away in 2019 at the age of 95, but his children - Bellarmine Chatunga and Robert Jr. - have frequently made headlines for their lavish lifestyles and various brushes with the law.