The crash occurred at around 5pm on Wednesday, September 30, with six people aboard the aircraft. Zimbabwean authorities confirmed that there were no survivors.

Chivayo’s death was confirmed by family spokesperson Herbert Chivayo, who told state-owned national broadcaster ZBC News that the family was struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

“We are at a loss for words after the tragic incident,” he said.

Zimbabwe Republic Police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi also confirmed the crash, saying the aircraft had six occupants.

Earlier, government spokesperson Nick Mangwana had confirmed that a helicopter carrying a high-profile businessman, other passengers and two pilots had crashed in Marondera.

“The Government wishes to confirm that a helicopter crash has occurred,” Mangwana said in a statement, adding that there were no survivors.

The police said emergency teams were attending the scene and that further details would be released as investigations continued.

A high-profile figure

Chivayo, who was widely known as “Sir Wicknell”, had built a prominent public profile through his business interests, philanthropy and social media posts showcasing an affluent lifestyle.

He was a familiar figure in the media across the region, frequently sharing photographs and videos of his interactions with senior political figures, heads of state and other prominent personalities across Africa.

His public profile was also built around conspicuous displays of wealth, including luxury cars, expensive gifts and large charitable donations, which frequently attracted media attention.

Chivayo was the founder of Intratrek Zimbabwe, an energy and infrastructure company that was involved in the Gwanda Solar Project, a major proposed solar power development in Zimbabwe.

The project became controversial over delays and questions surrounding its implementation and funding. Chivayo denied wrongdoing and defended his record in the project.

His business career also faced scrutiny over the years. He had a previous fraud conviction dating back to 2005, for which he served a prison sentence.

Chivayo remained a highly visible and sometimes controversial public figure in Zimbabwe, with his social media presence and business dealings regularly generating public interest.

The circumstances surrounding Wednesday’s helicopter crash had not been fully established by the time of publication.