Zimbabwean Investors Report Fraud in South African Venture: Chairman Faces Allegations

Approximately 300 Zimbabwean investors who participated in income-generating projects facilitated by the Zimbabwean Migration Network Programme (ZMNP) in South Africa claim they’ve been ensnared in a fraudulent scheme, amounting to roughly R3 million.

ZMNP, a for-profit entity registered in South Africa and led by Luke Dzviti, manages various ventures, including poultry farming, a KFC franchise, and e-commerce. However, investors now accuse the company of failing to honor its commitments.

Amid mounting pressure in South Africa, reports indicate that Dzviti, the chairman of the investment scheme, has fled to Zimbabwe. An investor, distressed by the situation, filed an official report at the Sandton Police Station (Case Reference: 286/2/2024, filed on February 11).

Investor concerns escalated as Dzviti missed deadlines for payments. Allegedly, he’s muted WhatsApp groups and is rumored to have left South Africa for Zimbabwe, exacerbating investor anxieties.

One investor revealed that Dzviti claimed to be in Zimbabwe on February 5th but offered conflicting statements when pressed, suggesting he might be in Zambia, America, or Canada.

“The project involves around 1,000 investors in total, recruited through WhatsApp forms,” an investor disclosed.

Responding to the crisis, the Zimbabwe Immigration Federation formed an 18-member committee to investigate and address the issue. The committee plans legal action, hiring lawyers to pursue charges of money laundering and theft.

“Observing the failure of former chairman Luke Mufaro Dzviti to fulfill payments to investors from a year ago, disgruntled members elected a new interim committee committed to recovering investments and lost properties due to Dzviti’s alleged misconduct,” a committee member stated.

The newly elected committee collaborates with all members, gathering case numbers from investors. Their legal advisor is in the process of hiring lawyers to proceed against Dzviti.

Dzviti responded, claiming to be on holiday, a seasonal routine, assuring he’ll resume work soon. He clarified that the organization has its finance team, managed by a Johannesburg-based financial firm. Dzviti emphasized his role as chairman, noting many investments are still developing.

Regarding the accusations, Dzviti accused the individual reporting of conducting a witch-hunt to tarnish his reputation. He denied fraudulent activities, attributing delays to administrative issues and challenging the grounds for his potential arrest.