By Marcus Moloko
Lawyers representing Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, son of the late former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, have firmly rejected claims circulating on social media that he was recently spotted shopping at a Woolworths store in Midrand, South Africa.
The speculation was sparked by a photograph shared online showing a masked man in a grocery store, alleged to be Mugabe.
His legal representative, Sinenhlanhla Mnguni, dismissed the image as old and insists that his client has not returned to South Africa since his deportation in April.
“Our instructions are clear. Mr. Mugabe is currently not in the Republic of South Africa,” Mnguni said.
“He has been banned from entering the country for five years following the sentence handed down by the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court. He would not risk violating that order.”
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Bellarmine Mugabe was deported from South Africa in April 2026 after pleading guilty to illegally residing in the country and pointing a firearm. The court ruling barred him from re-entering South Africa for five years.
Mnguni confirmed that Mugabe has not crossed the border since his deportation. He said the viral photograph was not taken this year.
The photograph, which gained traction on platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp, claimed to show Mugabe shopping in Midrand.
His legal team, however, emphasizes that the claims are baseless and that Mugabe remains outside South Africa.
When pressed on Mugabe’s current location, Mnguni declined to disclose details, citing client confidentiality.
He added that any future return to South Africa would only be considered after the five-year ban expires and through proper legal channels.
