Wicknell Munodaani Chivayo also known as Sir Wicknell, was a Zimbabwean businessman and the founder and managing director of Intratrek Zimbabwe (Private) Limited. He was known for his high-profile giveaways of luxury vehicles and large sums of money,his involvement in government tenders, his close public association with President Emmerson Mnangagwa and ZANU-PF, and a series of legal proceedings relating to fraud and money laundering allegations.
Wicknell Chivayo became one of Zimbabwe’s most recognisable businessmen, but his public profile increasingly stretched beyond his home country into the political and business circles of East Africa.
The late businessman, repeatedly appeared alongside senior leaders in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.His access included visits to State Houses, private presidential residences and meetings where he said investment opportunities in energy, technology and infrastructure were discussed.
Wicknell Chivayo accumulated his wealth through large-scale government infrastructure and energy tenders, telecommunications partnerships, and diversified business interests, though his fortune was heavily scrutinized and linked to his close political ties with Zimbabwe’s ruling party.
The government confirmed that a helicopter carrying “one high-profile businessman,” three other passengers and two pilots crashed with no survivors, and said police would release the victims’ names in due course.
Chivayo’s primary residence was a 17-hectare estate in Harare’s upscale Chishawasha Hills neighbourhood, fitted with a tennis court and a private helipad, valued at roughly KSh 900 million.
In South Africa, he purchased a four-bedroom mansion in Clifton, one of Cape Town’s most exclusive suburbs, for approximately KSh 1.1 billion. The property, designed by architectural firm SAOTA, offers views of Table Bay and Robben Island and features a gym, a home theatre, and a wine cellar.
Videos circulating on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok like from Gambakwe Media and others) provide the main “inside” views that went viral when he first showcased the property. These are the primary publicly available sources for interiors; detailed professional photo sets beyond those clips are limited.
Chivayo (lfounder of Intratrek Zimbabwe, with major energy/infrastructure contracts and high-profile philanthropy/donations) also owned other luxury properties, including a much-publicized SAOTA-designed mansion in Cape Town’s Clifton/Fresnaye area (announced mid-2026 at a claimed total of ~R160 million including fit-out) and one in Eswatini.