The Applicant claimed to be the son of the late former President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, born on 20 April 1977 to Hilda Maeka in Chimoio, Mozambique. He alleged his father kept his paternity secret. After the deceased's death, the estate was advertised and Applicant notified the Respondents of his claim. DNA tests were conducted showing siblingship with Lawrencia Mugabe (daughter of Bridget Mugabe), and he changed his name from Tonderayi Maeka to Tonderayi Gabriel Mugabe by Notarial Deed. The estate was closed on 18 December 2020 by confirmation of the account. Applicant learned of the closure in June 2023. He filed an unsuccessful application for a declaratory order under HCH 3729/23, withdrew it on 24 January 2025, and filed the present application for condonation on 3 February 2025 seeking to review the Master's decision to close the estate, more than four years after the estate was closed.
The application for condonation of late filing of an application for review was dismissed with costs.
For condonation to be granted for late filing of a review application, an applicant must provide a reasonable and satisfactory explanation for the entire period of delay, including all gaps in the timeline. Erroneous legal proceedings do not excuse or interrupt the running of time for filing a review application. In paternity claims against deceased estates, a birth certificate showing only the claimant's surname without the father's details does not establish paternity, even if re-registered. Section 19 of the Births and Deaths Registration Act [Chapter 5:02] does not permit re-registration of a birth certificate to add paternal details for a child born out of wedlock where the alleged father is deceased and the parents never married. DNA siblingship testing showing relationship to a relative of the deceased does not constitute proof of paternity from the deceased. Affidavits from relatives acknowledging paternity after the death of the alleged father, without supporting documentation of acknowledgment during the father's lifetime, are insufficient to establish a claim against an estate. The finality of estate administration and the prejudice to existing beneficiaries are significant factors weighing against condonation in applications to reopen estates closed years earlier.
The court observed that the Applicant appeared not to have understood the Master's request for a birth certificate 'confirming his position' - noting that this meant a birth certificate containing the father's details as confirmation of paternity, not merely a certificate bearing the surname 'Mugabe'. The court commented that the Births and Deaths Registration office may have 'bowed to the pressure of the name' in allowing re-registration with the Mugabe surname but appropriately did not go as far as reflecting the alleged father's details on the birth certificate. The court also noted with apparent suspicion that one letter (Annexure C) was dated 9 December 2017 but stamped 9 December 2019 in the Master's Office, questioning whether it was written before the deceased's death but submitted after. The court made a traditional/cultural observation that 'Tete Bridget' would not be married to a member of the Mugabe family as she herself is of that family, thus questioning whether her children (or grandchildren) could assist in proving membership in the Mugabe family through DNA testing.
This case is significant in Zimbabwean law for clarifying the stringent requirements for condonation applications, particularly in estate matters where finality is important. It establishes important principles regarding: (1) the requirement for candid and complete explanations of delay in condonation applications; (2) the evidentiary requirements for establishing paternity claims against deceased estates, particularly where the alleged father is deceased and never acknowledged paternity during his lifetime; (3) the proper interpretation and application of the Births and Deaths Registration Act regarding re-registration of births and the addition of paternal details; (4) the limitations of DNA siblingship testing (as opposed to direct paternity testing) in establishing claims against estates; and (5) the court's consideration of finality in estate administration and the prejudice to beneficiaries in reopening estates closed years earlier.