A Zimbabwean businessman is facing intense scrutiny in South Africa after a video emerged showing him threatening to kill three women at a Johannesburg restaurant. The man has been identified as Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama, a director of Moriel Infrastructure Group, which holds a contract with the South African National Roads Agency (SANRAL).
The footage, which has been widely shared on social media, shows Mudzinganyama confronting the women after his advances were allegedly rejected. According to reports, the confrontation began when the women told him he was not allowed in the ladies’ powder room. He responded with a chilling threat: “I could put a bullet in you now. I do not play. I will murder you now and walk.” He also dismissed their attempts to record the incident, saying, “Recording is nothing.”
The restaurant where the incident occurred, VLAMO Management, issued a statement distancing itself from Mudzinganyama. “We want to make it clear that the individual involved is not affiliated with, employed by, or associated with our restaurant in any capacity,” the statement read. Management said they acted immediately upon becoming aware of the incident and removed him from the premises. Both the restaurant and the victims have reportedly laid charges with the local police.
The scandal has drawn the attention of South African Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, who on Saturday instructed the SANRAL board to investigate Moriel Infrastructure Group. The investigation will determine whether the company was lawfully appointed as a contractor and whether it is meeting all its contractual obligations. The government’s Justice, Crime Prevention and Security cluster identified Mudzinganyama as a Zimbabwean national.
The incident has raised questions about the vetting of companies awarded government contracts in South Africa and the conduct of foreign nationals doing business in the country. For Zimbabweans, it highlights the heightened scrutiny faced by their compatriots abroad when involved in high-profile controversies.
