Mmusi Maimane Questions Cyril Ramaphosa After Controversial Video with Zimbabwean Businessman

GAUTENG— Build One South Africa (BOSA) president Mmusi Maimane demanded answers from President Cyril Ramaphosa after a video of him with a controversial Zimbabwean businessman went viral.

Maimane posted a scathing tweet criticising the Zimbabwean government and illegal immigration on his @MmusiMaimane X account on 19 May 2026. Maimane shared a tweet which showed a screenshot from the video of Ramaphosa and Wicknell Chivayo. Ramaphosa is seen in the picture sitting with Chivayo, who was present when Ramaphosa visited Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa earlier in May. Maimane asked if Ramaphosa knew who Chivayo was. He alleged that Chivayo was central to massive corruption in Zimbabwe and called him one of Mnangagwa’s gold mafia people.

Maimane swipes at illegal immigration

Maimane said that the corruption in the Zimbabwean government has chased its people into South Africa.

“Our immigration crisis is a result of the Zanu PF and Frelimo party. The corruption and violence in Zimbabwe and Mozambique have caused mass inflows into our nation which is already struggling with unemployment and poverty,” he said.

Read also

Suspended police minister Senzo Mchunu "fearless" as Vuzimusi "Cat" Matlala turns state witness

View the tweet on X here:

Maimane also shared an article from Legalbrief Africa which revealed that Chivayo is under investigation for partnering with a Johannesburg-based printing company, Ren-Form, to supply overpriced election materials to Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission was invoiced R23 million for a R90,000 server and R68,700 for portable toilets which cost R10,000 per unit. He was also linked to Ren-Form receiving over R1 billion from Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Finance and Economic Development: more than R800 million of the amount was reportedly transferred to Chivayo’s business bank account.

View the tweet on X here:

Source: Briefly News