Three Harare car dealerships are reportedly owed a combined US$5.1 million (about R83.76 million) for vehicles supplied to the late Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, raising questions about outstanding payments linked to his high-profile car gifts.
According to an investigation published by ZimLive, Faramatsi Motors, Exquisite Cars and Enterprise Car Sales had outstanding balances associated with vehicles supplied to Chivayo.
The reported debts have emerged as arrangements are being made to administer his estate following his death in a helicopter crash near Marondera on 30 September, in which his wife, Lucy Muteke, also died.
Three car dealers reportedly owed millions
ZimLive reported that Faramatsi Motors had the largest outstanding balance, at US$2.4 million (about R39.46 million).
Exquisite Cars was reportedly owed US$1.4 million (approximately R23.02 million), while Enterprise Car Sales had an outstanding balance of US$1.3 million (around R21.38 million).
The three amounts bring the reported total to US$5.1 million.
However, the figures are not undisputed.
Exquisite Cars owner Victor Vikela told ZimLive that the reported amount owed to his business was greatly exaggerated and said whatever Chivayo owed him had been written off.
Faramatsi Motors owner Matsika declined to discuss individual client transactions, citing confidentiality, while Enterprise Car Sales owner Madzibaba Tendai Chipanga could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.
How Chivayo allegedly obtained the vehicles
According to reports, Chivayo operated under credit arrangements that allowed him to collect vehicles from dealerships and settle the bills later, typically within three months.
The report said payments were linked to the timing of government disbursements to his businesses.
Chivayo became widely known in Zimbabwe for announcing luxury vehicle gifts to musicians, religious leaders, public figures and other beneficiaries, often directing recipients to dealerships to collect their cars.
The reported outstanding balances have raised questions about the payments behind some of these high-profile giveaways.
What happens to CHivayo’s outstanding payments?
The debts are among the financial matters that may need to be examined as Chivayo’s estate is administered.
It is reported that South African car dealers were seeking to recover outstanding payments for vehicles released before full payment, with some vehicles reportedly stranded at the Beitbridge border post because customs duties had not been fully paid.
The full extent of the estate’s liabilities has not been established publicly.