Mutumwa Mawere to be laid to rest in Johannesburg on Monday
Prominent businessman Mutumwa Mawere, who passed away in Johannesburg, will be buried on Monday amid family disputes over his final resting place.
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Prominent Zimbabwean-South African businessman Mutumwa Mawere will be laid to rest on Monday morning at Fourways Memorial Park Cemetery in Johannesburg.
Mawere, who was 66 and held South African citizenship, died in Johannesburg on January 15 from complications linked to a stroke he suffered in 2023.
The decision to bury him in South Africa follows a legal dispute between the paternal and maternal sides of his family over his final resting place.
The legal disagreements centred on a conflict between the Maweres' representatives, close paternal relatives, and Irene Machiri, who represented the maternal side of the family.
Sources close to the matter indicate that the two factions were divided over the final resting place of the 66-year-old tycoon.
The Maweres strongly advocated for the repatriation of the businessman’s remains to his country of birth, Zimbabwe, while Machiri reportedly favoured a burial at Fourways Memorial Park, a private cemetery in South Africa.
The High Court’s ruling on Thursday cleared the way for funeral arrangements, originally scheduled for Friday, to proceed on Monday in Johannesburg.
Speaking on behalf of Zororo-Phumulani, the funeral services provider known for managing high-profile funerals, Chief Executive Officer Oliver Mufudze stated that the company is being guided by the family as it prepares to give the businessman a befitting send-off.
“Our role is to serve the family with dignity, sensitivity, and respect during this difficult time,” Mufudze said.
“We are working closely with the family to ensure that Mr Mawere is laid to rest in a manner that honours his life and fully reflects the wishes of the many lives that were touched by his generosity.”
Mawere was a towering figure in Zimbabwean and South African business circles, with interests spanning mining, manufacturing, and banking.
Educated in Zimbabwe, Eswatini, the United Kingdom, and the United States, he held impressive academic qualifications, including a BSc in Economics, an MSc in Management, and an MBA in Finance and Investments, as well as several professional certifications.