Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe OFFICIALLY Charged With Attempted Murder After Hyde Park Shooting: SAPS Latest Update

Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe Now Officially Arrested And Charged With Attempted Murder: SAPS Confirms

Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe, the youngest son of Zimbabwe’s late former president Robert Mugabe, has now been officially arrested and charged with attempted murder following the shooting of a gardener at his Hyde Park residence in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The South African Police Service confirmed that Mugabe and a 33-year-old accomplice were taken into custody after the afternoon shooting and are expected to appear before the Alexandra Magistrates Court soon. The victim, a 23-year-old gardener employed at the property, was rushed to the hospital in critical condition after being shot once.

Gardener Shot In Dispute Over Work

The shooting has sent shockwaves through the quiet upmarket suburb, with police racing to the scene after receiving reports of gunfire. According to Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, the police spokesperson for Gauteng Province, the victim is a 23-year-old gardener employed at the property.

Colonel Nevhuhulwi provided chilling details about what may have sparked the violence. She stated:

“The police had received a report that there had been an altercation before the shots were fired. The police are still establishing the facts, but the victim is now being identified as a gardener who works at the property. It was alleged the victim had failed to come to work, and that there was a squabble over this.”

The victim was shot once and rushed to a nearby hospital, where his condition remains critical. Colonel Nevhuhulwi confirmed that medical personnel are doing everything they can, saying

“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.”

Police Hunt For Missing Firearm

Despite the arrests, investigators face a major hurdle in their case. The weapon used in the shooting has not yet been located, prompting a desperate search of the property.

Colonel Nevhuhulwi confirmed the missing weapon, stating:

“At the moment, we do not have the firearm. We have since deployed the dog unit to search for the weapon. We have recovered the cartridge that was ejected during the shooting, and that cartridge will be used to form part of the investigation.”

The dramatic scenes on Thursday saw police hostage negotiators rush to the scene after initial reports suggested the suspect had barricaded himself inside a room.

Previous Run-Ins With The Law

This is not the first time Chatunga has found himself on the wrong side of the law. In Zimbabwe, he was arrested twice last year – once for disorderly conduct at a Beitbridge roadblock in September 2024, where he allegedly brandished a knife at a police officer, and again in June 2025 on assault charges following an incident at a mining site in Mazowe. His brother Robert Jnr also has a string of arrests in South Africa, including assault and drug possession.

Police investigations into the Hyde Park shooting are ongoing, with the motive still unknown at this stage. The two suspects are expected to appear in court within 48 hours, where they will formally face the attempted murder charge.