ZIMBABWEAN businessman Mutumwa Dziva Mawere has died in South Africa at the age of 66, his family confirmed.
He passed away on 15 January 2026. The exact cause of death has not been disclosed.
His elder brother said Mawere had experienced health issues following a stroke in 2024.
Born on 11 January 1960 in Bindura, then part of Rhodesia, Mawere studied in the United Kingdom and the United States, earning advanced degrees in management and finance. He worked at the World Bank before entering private enterprise.
Mawere built a powerful business empire including Africa Resources Limited and Shabanie Mashaba Mines Holdings. At its peak, the group operated Zimbabwe’s only asbestos mines and was a major employer and exporter.
His career was marked by disputes with the Zimbabwean government. In 2004, authorities took control of significant parts of his empire under a law targeting “state-indebted” companies. Mawere challenged the takeover in courts across Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Later, he faced financial and legal difficulties, including court battles over debts and property. He also served a sentence in South Africa in 2024 for contempt of court linked to ongoing legal disputes.
Mawere’s death marks the end of a career that mirrored the political and economic tensions in Zimbabwe and the wider region.
