A bitter legal battle has erupted between Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his former partner Sonja Madzikanda, with court documents revealing extraordinary financial demands alongside a dispute over access to their children.

Madzikanda is seeking a US$25 million lump sum settlement, monthly maintenance of US$40,000 until she remarries, and an extensive package of luxury assets. Among the items she wants are multiple high-end vehicles, including three Rolls-Royces, as well as several properties in Harare and South Africa.

The details emerged in an urgent High Court application filed by Chivayo, who is asking the Family Division to grant him interim access to their two young children—a son born in 2018 and a daughter born in 2019. The court has yet to deliver its ruling.

Chivayo is requesting a structured access arrangement that would allow him to spend time with the children on alternating weeks, share school holidays, and rotate birthdays and public holidays. He alleges that Madzikanda has been denying him access and using the children as leverage to demand money—claims that form the basis of his urgent application.

However, the custody dispute is only one aspect of a much larger legal fight. Madzikanda has also filed for divorce, arguing that the couple entered into a valid customary law marriage in July 2017, with bride price (lobola) negotiated and paid. Although the union was not formally registered, she maintains it is still legally binding and can only be dissolved through the courts.

She further contends that a traditional divorce token (gupuro) exchanged in 2024 does not constitute a legal termination of the marriage. On that basis, she argues that Zimbabwe’s matrimonial laws apply, entitling her to a fair share of assets accumulated during the relationship.

Her claims extend beyond cash payments. She is seeking ownership of several properties, including homes in Gletwyn, Ballantyne Park, and an apartment in Sandton, Johannesburg. She is also claiming a fleet of seven vehicles, ranging from luxury sedans to SUVs.

In addition, Madzikanda is demanding comprehensive financial support for the children, including full coverage of their education through tertiary level, extracurricular activities, medical insurance, clothing, and other lifestyle expenses. She also proposes a yearly budget of US$1 million for holidays and leisure activities.

Her court filings list a wide array of alleged shared assets, including multiple properties in Harare, stakes in several companies, and even a private jet she believes is linked to Chivayo. She is also seeking to have assets held in a family trust treated as part of the marital estate.

Chivayo, through his lawyers, is strongly opposing the claims, describing them as excessive and without legal foundation. His legal team argues that the customary union was never registered within the timeframe required by law, limiting its legal standing בעיקר to matters involving the children rather than property division or spousal support.

They also maintain that Madzikanda effectively ended the relationship herself and that no joint estate existed, as there was neither community of property nor an ante-nuptial agreement. According to his lawyers, all assets in question were acquired through Chivayo’s own business activities.

On the issue of maintenance, his legal team insists he is under no obligation to support his former partner, arguing she should provide for herself.

Despite the dispute, Chivayo agrees that the children should primarily remain in their mother’s care, but wants a court-regulated visitation schedule to prevent what he describes as arbitrary restrictions.

In his affidavit, he claims he has been repeatedly denied access to the children, including being blocked from contacting them, attending school events, or receiving updates about their lives. He argues that this situation is harmful, particularly given their young ages, and could lead to long-term emotional distance.

Chivayo, who remarried in 2025, says he remains committed to supporting and maintaining a relationship with his children. He is now asking the court to intervene urgently to establish a clear and enforceable access arrangement.

The case is ongoing, with both the financial claims and custody issues still to be determined by the court.