BRAKPAN, South Africa – Joachim “G6” Chivayo and Ayanda Brian Gungwa also known as Pharoah in Zimbabwe, who are brothers of controversial businessman and President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s ally Wicknell Chivayo, have been declared as wanted by South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) after failing to appear in court in connection with a R15 million gold case.
The pair were arrested in 2024 during a Hawks operation in Brakpan after being found in possession of six bars of unwrought gold valued at approximately R15 million.
A Mercedes-Benz SUV was also seized during the operation. Joachim Chivayo, 33, is Zimbabwean, while Gungwa is a South African national, according to IOL.
But this publication understands that Gungwa is known in Zimbabwe as Pharoah. Just like G6, Pharoah is Wicknell’s younger brother.
On Monday, Brigadier Thandi Mbambo, national spokesperson for the Hawks, told IOL that the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court had granted each of the accused bail of R20,000 on November 28, 2024.
Mbambo added that the court had set strict bail conditions. The accused were prohibited from leaving South Africa or the Gauteng province until the matter was concluded. They were also required to report to the Brakpan Police Station every Sunday, starting from December 1, 2024.
However, both men failed to appear in court, prompting the issuance of J50 arrest warrants by the Brakpan Magistrate’s Court on March 11, 2025. Hawks have since circulated the pair as wanted suspects.
Wicknell has splashed millions on purchasing luxury vehicles and other resources for Zanu-PF and supporters of President Mnangagwa.
He has also been linked to Ren-Form CC, a South African printing company embroiled in scandals over inflated tenders for election materials in multiple African countries.
In Zimbabwe, Ren-Form was awarded a US$40 million contract by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to supply materials for the 2023 general elections.
Investigations, including reports from South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre, revealed inflated invoices.
Of the approximately R1.1 billion paid by the Zimbabwean treasury to Ren-Form, over R800 million was reportedly routed to companies associated with Wicknell, raising allegations of misappropriation of public funds and money laundering.
