Power Outage Forces Second Postponement of Mugabe’s Son’s Bail Hearing

The bail application of Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the 28-year-old son of former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, was on Thursday, March 5, 2026, postponed for the second time due to a power outage at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court.

Mugabe and his co-accused, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze, 33, were scheduled to appear for their bail hearing when proceedings were disrupted by the electricity failure.

Although the court premises have a backup generator, officials disclosed that the equipment has been non-functional for at least six months, forcing the court to adjourn the matter once again.

Recall that, Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the son of former Zimbabwean leader Robert Mugabe, is facing legal proceedings in South Africa alongside his co-accused, Tobias Tamirepi Matonhodze.

The two men were arrested following allegations linked to a violent altercation in Johannesburg. Authorities say the incident involved accusations of assault and damage to property after a dispute reportedly escalated into a confrontation.

Both suspects were taken into custody and later brought before the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court, where they applied for bail while investigations continue.

The case has attracted significant public and media attention largely because of Mugabe’s family background. His father, Robert Mugabe, ruled Zimbabwe for nearly four decades before he was forced to resign in 2017 following the 2017 Zimbabwean coup d’état.

Since the arrest, the defence team has been seeking bail for the accused, but the hearing has faced repeated delays, including the latest postponement caused by a power outage at the court. The matter is expected to resume once the court schedules a new date for the bail application.