South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa says he does not know who controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo is.

This comes after the head of state's May 3, 2026 visit to the farm of President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Zimbabwe's central region of Kwekwe drew widespread speculation into Ramaphosa's apparent relationship with Chivayo.

Chivayo was spotted near the two presidents throughout Ramaphosa's tour of Mnangagwa's farm, which contains livestock, cereal crops, potatoes, and fish, among other agricultural investments.

Forty-three-year-old Chivayo has been linked to tenders relating to election materials, security, internet connectivity, electricity connection, cancer treatment, and general supplies.

Prison sentence

In 2004, he was sentenced to three years in prison for deceiving a South African national that he would deposit over $100,000 in the South African's account in exchange for $46,000, in South African rand currency.

Chivayo served time at the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare.

In March 2011, Zimbabwe's state-controlled newspaper, The Chronicle, reported that Chivayo had allegedly created fictitious websites, which unsuspecting clients believed could help them procure goods.

According to The Chronicle, the websites would disappear upon receiving payments.

Assets frozen

South Africa's Daily Maverick reports that Chivayo's assets in South Africa have been frozen, and that he is under active investigation for alleged money laundering.

South Africa's News24 estimates the suspicious amount to be 800 million South African rand, an equivalent of nearly $49 million, which was allegedly obtained as part of settlement for election-related dealings.

On April 23, 2026, Chivayo's ex-spouse, Louise Sonja Madzikanda, obtained an order from a court in South Africa's capital, Pretoria, freezing Chivayo's bank accounts and grounding his private jet over an unresolved property dispute after divorce.

So, when President Ramaphosa was spotted in Zimbabwe with a person undergoing court action in South Africa, the citizens raised concerns online, prompting a response from South Africa's Presidency.

Ramaphosa urges authorities to pursue Chivayo's case 'without fear'

Speaking to the media in South Africa's Cape Town on May 6, Presidential Spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said Ramaphosa, who had been invited for a working visit by President Mnangagwa, did not know he would meet Chivayo there.

"As the Presidency, we have noted with concern the reports that have since surfaced following this visit by the president (of South Africa) to Zimbabwe, identifying an individual who is a person of interest to our law enforcement, who was also present during the visit. President Ramaphosa had no prior knowledge of who would 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," Magwenya said.

The spokesperson further said that Ramaphosa encourages South African authorities to pursue Chivayo's case "without fear or any form of hesitation."

Magwenya further said Mnangagwa and Ramaphosa held "discussions on bilateral relations and regional matters."

'Fly-by-night briefcase businessman'

In March 2018, President Mnangagwa had vowed to institute the arrest of Chivayo, whom he described then as "fly-by-night briefcase businessman."

Chivayo has repeatedly rejected allegations linking him to fraud, saying he is a legitimate businessman, who has many "haters" and people riding on his name for "political relevance."