By HRH Princess Eugene Majuru | News of The South
The death of Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo has brought an abrupt end to one of the most extraordinary displays of luxury vehicle spending in the country’s recent history, raising questions about the commercial impact of his absence on dealerships, suppliers and businesses connected to the high-end motor industry. Chivayo, who died alongside his wife Lucy Muteke and three others in a helicopter crash near Marondera on 30 September 2026, had become synonymous with expensive vehicles, extravagant gifts and public announcements that transformed luxury car purchases into national talking points. His now-famous instruction, “Go and See Victor,” became a recognisable expression associated with his generosity. But behind the excitement surrounding the vehicle giveaways was a commercial industry that benefited from every completed transaction. The cars had to be sourced, imported, cleared, registered, prepared and delivered. Dealers needed access to international suppliers, foreign currency and logistical arrangements capable of bringing expensive vehicles into Zimbabwe. Chivayo’s death therefore raises a wider economic question: what happens to businesses when one exceptionally wealthy customer is no longer there to generate substantial sales?
Before Chivayo’s public giveaways became a regular feature of Zimbabwean social media, luxury vehicles were generally associated with wealthy individuals, senior executives, politicians and established businesspeople. Chivayo changed the way such purchases were presented to the public. A vehicle was no longer simply a private acquisition. It became part of a public announcement, often accompanied by praise for the recipient and an explanation of why that individual deserved recognition. Musicians, religious leaders, entertainers and other personalities found themselves receiving vehicles that many ordinary Zimbabweans could only dream of owning. The announcements generated enormous attention. For the recipient, a luxury vehicle represented an asset and, in some cases, a dramatic improvement in personal circumstances. For the dealership involved, each completed purchase represented a commercial transaction and an opportunity for publicity. For the wider public, the giveaways became entertainment, inspiration and controversy rolled into one.
The Victor connection
One of the most recognisable names associated with Chivayo’s vehicle purchases was businessman Victor Matiyenga, linked to Exquisite Cars. Through Chivayo’s repeated public references, Victor became familiar even to Zimbabweans who had never visited the dealership or purchased a luxury vehicle. The phrase “Go and See Victor” became part of the language surrounding Chivayo’s generosity. It also demonstrated the extraordinary promotional power of a wealthy customer with a large social media following. Traditional advertising campaigns require substantial investment to build brand recognition. Chivayo’s announcements provided a different form of publicity, repeatedly connecting the dealership with expensive vehicles and high-profile beneficiaries. However, the precise financial value of transactions attributable to Chivayo, the dealership’s profit margins and the proportion of its business connected to him have not been publicly established in the information available for this analysis. It would therefore be premature to conclude that Exquisite Cars or any other dealership faces financial difficulties because of his death. The more important issue is what his spending reveals about the relationship between high-value customers and the businesses serving them.
In many industries, securing a wealthy and influential client can dramatically increase revenue. Luxury vehicle dealerships are no exception. A customer who purchases multiple expensive vehicles can generate sales volumes that would otherwise require numerous individual buyers. Such relationships can also produce referrals, greater visibility and opportunities to expand commercial networks. But dependence on a single major customer carries risks. When that customer withdraws, changes suppliers, experiences financial difficulties or dies, the business may lose an important source of revenue. The extent of the impact depends on how diversified the company’s customer base is and how much of its income came from that relationship. This is a fundamental principle of business management. A strong enterprise should be able to withstand the loss of an important customer without its entire operation becoming unstable.
The public generally sees the finished vehicle and the person receiving the keys. What receives less attention is the chain of commercial activity required to deliver it. Luxury vehicle purchases can involve international sourcing agents, shipping companies, customs-clearing businesses, transport operators, insurers, registration services and specialist maintenance providers. Depending on the vehicle and transaction, several businesses may earn income before the keys reach the final owner. Chivayo’s purchases therefore had potential economic effects extending beyond the dealerships whose names appeared in his announcements. However, the size of that wider contribution cannot be reliably calculated without access to transaction records and commercial data. It would also be misleading to assume that every vehicle was sourced through the same supplier or purchased under identical financial arrangements. The public spectacle may have appeared straightforward, but the underlying commercial processes could have differed substantially.
What happens to promised vehicles?
Chivayo’s sudden death has also raised questions about gifts announced before the crash. A public promise to purchase a vehicle is not necessarily the same as a completed purchase. The legal and commercial position depends on whether payment was made, ownership transferred, delivery completed or a binding agreement established. If a dealership has already received full payment, the position may be different from a situation in which a vehicle was merely selected or reserved. Similarly, a vehicle purchased through a company may be subject to different ownership and accounting arrangements from one bought personally. These distinctions matter for beneficiaries, suppliers and estate administrators. They also demonstrate why public speculation about unpaid vehicles should not be mistaken for evidence of outstanding debts. Any legitimate financial claims must be supported by records and resolved through appropriate procedures.
The luxury vehicle market will not disappear because one prominent customer has died. Zimbabwe has other individuals and businesses capable of purchasing high-end vehicles.
But Chivayo’s particular combination of spending, public generosity and social media visibility made him unusual. Another wealthy customer might purchase equally expensive vehicles without announcing every transaction to the nation. The commercial value of a customer is not always measured solely by the amount spent. Public visibility, influence and the ability to attract new clients can also contribute to a business relationship. Chivayo brought all three elements to his highly publicised vehicle purchases. Whether another individual will emerge with a comparable appetite for public giveaways remains uncertain.
The danger of confusing publicity with business security
Chivayo’s relationship with the luxury vehicle market offers an important lesson for Zimbabwean entrepreneurs.
Publicity can create opportunities, but it does not guarantee long-term commercial stability.
A business may become famous through association with one prominent individual while still needing to develop a broad and sustainable customer base.
Likewise, high sales volumes do not automatically translate into high profits.
Import costs, currency fluctuations, financing arrangements, taxes, operating expenses and payment terms all influence the financial outcome of a transaction.
The businesses best positioned for long-term success are those that combine visibility with sound financial management, reliable service and diversified income.
Wicknell Chivayo will be remembered for many things, but his association with luxury cars will remain one of the most distinctive features of his public life. He turned vehicle giveaways into headline-making events and helped make the names of particular suppliers familiar to audiences far beyond the motor industry. Yet his death also exposes the limitations of commercial relationships built around the spending power of one individual. The unanswered question is not simply who will become Zimbabwe’s next major luxury car buyer. It is whether the businesses that benefited from Chivayo’s extraordinary spending can translate that exposure into lasting commercial success. For the dealerships, the challenge is business continuity.
For beneficiaries, it is understanding the status of any outstanding promises. And for Zimbabwe’s wider business community, the lesson is clear: an influential customer can help build a business, but no business should depend entirely on one person. Chivayo’s famous words may continue to be remembered for years. But the future of Zimbabwe’s luxury vehicle industry will depend on more than the instruction to go and see Victor.
“Go and See Victor.” — Sir Wicknell Chivayo
Read more Wicknell Chivayo news, investigations and analysis on News of The South.
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