Keeping Up With The Mugabe Boys -- A Tale Of 'Luxury, Partying And Over-Indulgence'

Bad behaviour seems to run in the family.
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Happier days: Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe (L), his wife Grace (R) and children Chatunga (C front), Robert Jnr (C rear) and Bona (with glasses) cut the cake at his birthday party in Zvimba, 80 km's west of Harare February 21, 2004.
Reuters Photographer / Reuters

The sons of Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe are no strangers to controversy. Both 25-year-old Robert Mugabe Jnr and his younger sibling Chatunga, 21, have had their fair share of high lifestyle living and run-ins with the law.

It seems the royal parents have had their hands full in recent years, with mum and dad having to constantly bail them out of trouble, including recently being evicted from their luxury Sandton block and of course the recent alleged attack of model Gabriella Engels after their mom found her in the sons' hotel room.

"Nowadays there are spirits attacking our children. The spirit of drinking, drug abuse and doing other abnormal things way beyond their age," Zimbabwean publication News Day quoted Grace as saying in July this year.

She indicated that she was on the verge of a breakdown because of her "wayward" sons.

"If I am to say women stand up to talk about your children, very few women can be brave enough to talk about that without breaking down," she said.

Chatunga was expelled for "bad behaviour" from the prestigious St George's College in Harare, and then went on to home-schooling from the age of 16. Despite this cozy laid back environment, he still managed to fail his A-level exam, according to the Zimbabwean Independent.

Robert Jnr, meanwhile, was not only failing tests at school but he was also unable to progress to higher grade levels. Despite this, Jnr managed to somehow study architecture in Dubai later in life. He also reportedly dropped out of a military academy in China because he could not cope with the rigorous training, ZimNews reports.

The brothers lived together in Dubai, a city in the United Arab Emirates known for its ultra-modern architecture, luxury shopping, and a lively nightlife. Their stay in Dubai was short-lived after the two allegedly became embroiled in fights and were accused of substance abuse.

Grace has publicly spoken about her challenges with Chatunga, the "problem child", and even admitted to News Day that the two are notorious for their wild partying lifestyle which led to beer-binges and the alleged usage of drugs.

The publication quoted the troubled mother at a birthday party as having said that she has had sleepless nights over them.

High living in Joburg

Then they arrived in South Africa where Robert Jnr is studying at University of Johannesburg, although what course he is studying is unknown. Their high partying lifestyle did not end.

The pair were recently evicted from the Regent MCC in Morningside where they paid a hefty R70,000 monthly rent. The two were again involved in a brawl and mummy-dearest had to drop everything and make a trip to Johannesburg to sort out the mess. The brawl in the hotel room resulted in the interior being damaged, according to the Zimbabwe Independent.

Chatunga and Jnr have allegedly become quite a hit with women in South Africa while frequenting some popular nightclubs.

They are known for their lavish lifestyle and having a 24/7 chauffeur while being linked to multiple young women. The driver would wait for their command to drive them wherever they wanted to go.

A source told the Zim publication the Mugabe boys lived "a carefree life of luxury, partying and over-indulgence".

"It was rarely the case that Robert Jr emerged for morning lectures, which he was supposed to attend at the University of Johannesburg," the source said.

Some believe it's a trait from their mother who is known for her exquisite variety of Gucci handbags, which has earned her the nickname "Gucci Grace".

Grace's son from her previous marriage, 33-year-old Russell Gorereza, made headlines for breaking the law. He was involved in an alleged illegal gold-mining venture and was also found guilty of culpable homicide two years ago. Gorereza was speeding in his luxury car and killed a pedestrian in Harare.

Alleged assault

Grace Mugabe made headlines last week after allegedly assaulting 20-year-old year old woman with an extension cord in her son's hotel room. The victim, Gabriella Engels, has opened a case against the First Lady.

The Sunday Times reported that a waitress suffered a miscarriage after she was pushed by Robert Mugabe Jnr who was fleeing his mother's attack. The waitress was delivering food at Capital 20 West when Jnr ran past her and pushed her out of the way. The woman fell to the ground and was rushed to hospital, where she later lost her baby.

Mugabe, meanwhile, has been granted diplomatic immunity and has travelled back to Harare.