From Palace To Crime Scene: Inside Chatunga Mugabe’s Decaying R45m Sandhurst Mansion
Sandhurst, Johannesburg • February 23, 2026
The House That Grace Built. The sprawling R45 million palace bought by Grace Mugabe in 2017 has transformed from a symbol of power to a crime scene of neglect. Located in Johannesburg’s exclusive Sandhurst suburb, the property is now the center of a bloody attempted murder investigation.
| Inside Chatunga Mugabe’s Decaying R45 Million Sandhurst Mansion Amid Attempted Murder Probe |
Once boasting rolling lawns and koi ponds, the estate stands dilapidated today, with police divers forced to plunge into a "biohazard" swimming pool to hunt for a missing gun.
The Investigation
Police divers struggled through a green, murky swimming pool searching for the weapon used to shoot the gardener, highlighting the property's severe lack of maintenance.
The Dream Home
When Grace Mugabe purchased the property in February 2017 through a shelf company, it was the talk of Johannesburg’s elite. The 9,249-square-metre estate was nearly double the size of most properties in Sandhurst.
Barry Bateman of the Afriforum Private Prosecution Unit recalled the original listing: “It has rolling lawns, a summer house, koi pond and six reception rooms. It also has four bedrooms and four bathrooms, a two-bedroomed cottage, pool, etc.”
The mansion reportedly cost around R45 million, placing it among the most expensive residential transactions in the prestigious Sandhurst suburb at the time.
The acquisition drew widespread media attention due to the Mugabe family’s political prominence and the scale of the luxury estate.
Sandhurst is regarded as one of Johannesburg’s most affluent neighborhoods, home to diplomats, business magnates, and high-profile figures.
The Mugabe residence stood out even among luxury properties, both for its size and the political symbolism attached to it.
What was once marketed as a dream estate has since become the focus of renewed attention following legal developments linked to the Mugabe family.
The contrast between its original grandeur and its current state has fueled public debate about wealth, power, and accountability.
The Palace That Time Forgot
Today, the reality is starkly different. The decision to use police divers raised eyebrows, but the state of the pool necessitated it. Social media user Mark van Jones noted:
“From the sounds of it the area was heavily overgrown, pool was likely green. Most likely a biohazard but SAPS divers were also at the scene.”
Satellite imagery and on-the-ground reports confirm the decline. “Yep from the google earth photos it looks like the garden has been neglected... clearly shows it’s not being maintained,” observers noted.
What was once a suburb “redolent of money” now houses a property that looks abandoned, despite the Mugabe brothers living there.
Terror in Sandhurst
A Hyde Park security guard gave a chilling account of Thursday morning: “I heard two gunshots... That is when I saw the man in the street lying down. He was followed by another man who was holding his phone.”
Colonel Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi confirmed a diplomatic unit patrolling the area found the victim. “They have not told us where the gun is. We cannot definitely say who shot,” she added, noting that a cartridge was recovered.
A History of Evictions
The Mugabe brothers' path to Sandhurst was turbulent. In 2017, they allegedly fled a R500,000-per-month rented home in Dubai in a hurry.
They later moved to Johannesburg, where they were reportedly evicted from a R70,000-a-month flat in Rivonia following a "drunken brawl which left a security guard injured." The Sandhurst mansion was meant to be their permanent sanctuary, but it has now become their prison.
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