SAPS Releases More Details On Chatunga Mugabe Shooting: Admit “We Don’t Have The Firearm Yet”

SAPS Confirms Firearm Still Missing After Chatunga Mugabe Hyde Park Shooting

The South African Police Service has released more details after Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe, the son of Zimbabwe’s late former president, was implicated in the shooting of a gardener in Johannesburg’s elite Hyde Park, confirming they are yet to locate the weapon used in the attack.

Officers have launched a desperate manhunt for the firearm, deploying specialist sniffer dogs to scour the upmarket property after a single cartridge was recovered from the scene. The victim, initially identified as a security guard but now confirmed by police to be a gardener employed at the residence, is currently fighting for his life in a local hospital after the Thursday afternoon shooting.

Police Hunt For Missing Weapon As Victim Fights For Life

Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the police spokesperson, confirmed that while the investigation is moving forward, the central piece of evidence remains missing. She stated that at the moment, they do not have the firearm.

She confirmed that they have since deployed the canine unit to search for the weapon. Colonel Nevhuhulwi added that they have recovered the cartridge that was ejected during the shooting, and that cartridge has been taken by the forensics unit and will be used to form part of the investigation.

The shooting has sent shockwaves through the quiet neighbourhood. The police have confirmed that two individuals who were present at the time of the incident have been taken into custody to assist with the probe.

Colonel Nevhuhulwi emphasised the cooperative nature of the suspects so far, but stressed that the full picture has yet to emerge. She confirmed that they were present at the time of the shooting, hence they will be questioned to help establish what happened at the Hyde Park residence. Colonel Nevhuhulwi added that the two suspects are cooperating with the police.

The victim’s condition remains dire. Medical personnel rushed him to a nearby hospital shortly after the incident. Colonel Nevhuhulwi said that the shooting victim has been taken to the hospital and is reported to be in critical condition, although they are hoping that he will be fine.

Chaos And A Siege In Hyde Park

The incident, which occurred just after midday, quickly escalated into a tense standoff. According to the SABC News, reports initially indicated that the suspect had barricaded himself inside a room, prompting hostage negotiators to race to the scene.

Anti-crime activist Yusuf Abramjee provided real-time updates on the dramatic events on X. He posted that a security guard had been shot and wounded at a house in Hyde Park, Johannesburg. He stated that it was believed that the house owner and the guard had an argument.

The situation grew more fraught as the afternoon wore on. Abramjee reported that it was believed that the son of the late former Zimbabwe President, Robert Mugabe, opened fire on the guard. He added that the suspect locked himself in a room and was refusing to open it, and that police hostage negotiators were racing to the scene.

While the siege has since been resolved, the exact circumstances leading to the shooting remain shrouded in mystery. Colonel Nevhuhulwi revealed that a dispute over work may have been the trigger and clarified the victim’s true identity.

She said that the police had received a report that there had been an altercation before the shots were fired. She explained that the police are still establishing the facts, but the victim is now being identified as a gardener who works at the property. Colonel Nevhuhulwi added that it was alleged the victim had failed to come to work, and that there was a squabble over this.

The police are yet to establish precisely how many shots were fired, with only a single cartridge found at the scene. Investigations are ongoing.

A Troubled History Comes To The Fore

This arrest marks yet another violent episode for the 29-year-old, who has a string of previous run-ins with the law in both South Africa and Zimbabwe.

In a horrifying incident in Zimbabwe in June 2025, Chatunga was charged with five counts of assault after a violent rampage at a mining site in Mazowe. According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, he allegedly led a group of armed men onto a mining concession, where they brutally beat victims.

The court heard how the accused persons charged towards the complainant, whom they accused of harbouring illegal miners. They altogether assaulted the complainant with open hands and fists before he fell. The court further heard that the trio stomped on the complainant several times whilst he was lying down. They then ordered the complainant to carry a sack of gold ore to their premises, where they also took turns to assault him using wooden logs and an iron bar.

In that case, he and his bodyguards were released on US$200 (approximately R3,700) bail each.

Months earlier, in September 2024, he was in trouble at a Beitbridge roadblock. He allegedly brandished a knife at a police officer, shouting, “Do you know who I am?” when asked for documents. The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe stated that the police officer ordered the driver to park the vehicle on the side of the road.

It was alleged that the accused person complained after the police officer requested that the driver park the motor vehicle off the road. It was further alleged that he disembarked from the vehicle and charged towards the police officer, shouting about being delayed and questioning whether the officer knew who he was.

Given the severity of the Hyde Park shooting, where a man is currently fighting for his life, sources suggest this time the consequences may be far more serious for the son of the late Zimbabwean president.