Since his arrest on April 13, outspoken Zimbabwean activist Wellington Masiwa, popularly known as Comrade Nyokayemabhunu, has been held at Johannesburg Correctional Centre on charges of illegal entry into South Africa and alleged fraud in Zimbabwe.
Opposition activists argue that Pretoria is working in concert with Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF to silence a fierce critic of President Emmerson Mnangagwa by facilitating his extradition.
According to Masiwa’s lawyers, he was abducted and assaulted by unidentified men before being handed over to authorities. At his first court appearance in Randburg on April 30, a representative from Interpol unexpectedly introduced additional charges linked to Zimbabwe’s extradition request, sparking anger among Zimbabweans who had gathered in solidarity with him.
South Africa’s Justice Minister, Mmamoloko Kubayi, is expected to soon decide whether the activist can be legally extradited. Zimbabwe’s deputy prosecutor-general, Nelson Mutsonziwa, insists the request is legitimate and unrelated to politics, citing an 18-month sentence imposed on Masiwa for a 2016 property fraud case involving US$3,660.
However, inconsistencies in the case have fuelled suspicion. A separate complaint, reportedly involving R24,000 paid for undelivered furniture, has emerged but remains unproven. Masiwa maintains the allegation was fabricated by Zimbabwe’s Central Intelligence Organisation to build a stronger case for his extradition. His lawyer, Yugeshnee Govender, said prosecutors had failed to produce bank records to back the claims.
Masiwa insists the real reason Harare wants him back is his vocal opposition to Mnangagwa’s alleged push for a third term in 2028. Until shortly before his arrest, he used his WhatsApp channel Nyokayemabhunu News to mobilise Zimbabweans for a nationwide shutdown against constitutional changes.
In court documents, Masiwa argued he has been labelled an “enemy of the state” by Zanu-PF for peacefully resisting what he described as the “illegal subversion” of Zimbabwe’s Constitution. Zanu-PF has openly celebrated his arrest, with spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa saying in May that South Africa was right to stop activists from using its territory to attack Zimbabwe’s leadership.
Despite this, South African police officer Captain Willem van der Heever, who works with Interpol, testified that the case against Masiwa was criminal, not political. Still, critics point to Zanu-PF’s rhetoric and the suspicious circumstances of his arrest as evidence to the contrary.
Masiwa, who fled Zimbabwe in 2017 after being beaten by state agents during Mnangagwa’s rise to power, now lives in Gqeberha with his wife and works as a granite cutter. His asylum application in South Africa has stalled due to the ongoing legal proceedings.
His legal team is awaiting Kubayi’s ruling, expected to coincide with his next court appearance on September 10.
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