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A luxury mansion belonging to the late Zimbabwean businessman Mutumwa Mawere is headed to auction in Johannesburg, adding a new chapter to the long and complicated financial story surrounding one of Zimbabwe’s most prominent industrialists.
The property, located in Bryanston, has been listed under Mawere’s insolvent estate with a reserve price of R6 million, according to details published with the listing and summarized in a report carried on Saturday. The auction is scheduled for Feb. 25 at 11 a.m. after the home was listed on Feb. 11.
Mawere died on Jan. 15, 2026, at Mediclinic Bryanston Hospital at age 66. He was a Zimbabwean businessman based in South Africa and built a profile across sectors including mining, manufacturing, finance, telecommunications, agriculture and media.
The report says the Bryanston residence sits on 5,098 square meters and includes four bedrooms, a swimming pool, private tennis court, miniature golf course, wine cellar and billiard room, along with staff accommodation and a separate three bedroom cottage.
Financial details attached to the listing paint a picture of the burden tied to the property. The home is reported to carry a monthly bond repayment of R58,898 and municipal rates of R7,686.99 per month. Estimated once off costs were listed at R612,865, while the minimum gross monthly income requirement was put at R196,328.
The auction is being handled as part of an insolvent estate process, a legal framework used when liabilities exceed realizable assets and property must be sold to repay creditors. In those cases, beneficiaries can be left with little or nothing after debts are settled according to legal priority.
Mawere’s rise and fall drew attention across Southern Africa. He became widely known through Africa Resources Limited and SMM Holdings, but his business empire was seized by Zimbabwean authorities in 2004 amid disputes over insolvency, debts and other allegations. He maintained that the state action was politically motivated and spent years in legal battles without regaining control of the assets.
