Harare – Flamboyant Zimbabwean socialite and businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure, who was at times based in South Africa, and three other people died in the early hours of Sunday morning when his purple Rolls Royce collided with a Honda Fit in Harare.
State-owned The Herald newspaper, quoting Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi, reported that the accident occurred along Borrowdale Road in Harare.
“The accident occurred this morning [Sunday] along Borrowdale Road and it is alleged that Kadungure died on [the] spot. We are still gathering more information on the issue,” Nyathi was quoted as having said.
The petroleum trader was 36 years old.
Zimbabweans took to social media on Sunday, expressing shock over the “untimely” death of the Pioneer Gas boss.
Exiled Zimbabwean former cabinet minister and Zanu PF political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere also offered condolences.
“This is unbearable. A young man who worked hard and enjoyed hard is no more! The flower has wilted! Go well Boss Ginimbi. MHDSRIP,” said Kasukuwere, who fled to South Africa as former president Robert Mugabe was deposed.
ZimLive reported that Kadungure’s Rolls Royce collided head-on with the Honda Fit and then veered off the road and smashed into a tree before catching fire.
Kadungure was allegedly thrown out of the vehicle and died at the scene along with three friends identified only as Karim, Elisha, and Moana who was reportedly celebrating her birthday.
On Saturday evening, Kadungure posted a video on Instagram, where he had a legion of over 600,000 followers, saying, “Guys it’s time to go out, it’s gonna be going down. We’re going to Dreams [nightclub] in the next few minutes, it’s gonna be going down. It’s Moana’s birthday, we’re going to pop champagne, it’s gonna be champagne showers tonight, see you there.”
As he gets into the waiting vehicle, Kadungure tells his followers he is “driving [a] Rolls Royce Wraith”. The video, also shared by ZimLive, cuts out as the hit song “Hello” by Kabza de Small and DJ Mapholisa blasts from the US$500000 motorcar’s sound system.
Kadungure was a cousin of Mary Mubaiwa, the estranged wife of Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Chiwenga. In the past, Kadungure has been repeatedly arrested by the ZRP for tax evasion as he allegedly under-declared the value of his numerous high-end vehicles when importing them from South Africa into Zimbabwe.
His collection of top-of-the-range cars in Harare included the Rolls Royce Wraith, a Rolls Royce Ghost, three Bentleys, two Range Rovers, and a Mercedes-Benz G63.
Earlier this year, he added a new Ferrari 488 Spider, valued at US$350 000, to his fleet. A few weeks ago, Kadungure turned heads in Zimbabwe’s capital city when he purchased a Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster worth US$600 000.
African News Agency/ANA