The City of Johannesburg has instituted legal proceedings against former Zimbabwean football star Benjani Mwaruwari, seeking to recover more than R1.35 million in unpaid municipal charges relating to a luxury property in Kyalami Estates north of Joburg.
Mwaruwari, is a retired Zimbabwean professional footballer and former national team captain widely known for his successful stints in the English Premier League and French Ligue 1. He played as a centre-forward, starring for prominent clubs like Jomo Cosmos, Auxerre, Portsmouth, and Manchester City.
The 48-year-old Bulawayo born icon is now the Head of Highlanders football club in Zimbabwe.
According to summons filed in the Johannesburg High Court, the City of Joburg claims Mwaruwari, often known mononymously as Benjani , owes it a whopping R1353 896 for municipal services provided to his property.
The municipality alleges it supplied services, including electricity, water, sanitation and refuse removal to the internationally renowned footie’s posh pad without any failure.
However, it said Mwaruwari failed to pay for the services he used and plunged into arrears.
The City of Joburg said the arrears remained unpaid as of June 2026.
In court papers, the City of Joburg says Mwaruwari, like other property owners who opened municipal accounts in their own names, are responsible for charges incurred on their properties.
It argues that under the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act and the Municipal Property Rates Act, municipalities are empowered to levy and recover charges for services rendered and are legally obliged to collect all money owed to them.
The City of Joburg alleges that despite receiving regular monthly municipal statements, Mwaruwari neither disputed the amounts reflected on the account nor settled the outstanding debt.
According to the City of Joburg’s particulars of claim, the alleged debt comprises a previous account balance of R1,338,375.47, June 2026 municipal charges totalling R14,855.76, and R664.77 in interest on arrears.
The June charges include R1,607.86 for water and sanitation, R8,065.90 for electricity, R3,182.38 for property rates, R477 for refuse removal and R1,522.62 for value-added tax (VAT).
The City of Joburg says it issued a letter of demand on 17 June 2026, which was served on Mwaruwari two days later, notifying him of the outstanding balance and advising him of the available debt resolution mechanisms, including entering into a payment plan or referring the matter to a debt counsellor, alternative dispute resolution agent, ombud with jurisdiction or consumer court.
The City of Joburg alleges that Mwaruwari failed to respond to the letter of demand or clear his arrears..
In its claim, the municipality is seeking payment of R1,353,896, interest at 10.5% per annum, alternatively the prescribed legal rate from 17 June 2026 until the date of final payment, legal costs and further and/or alternative relief.
Mwaruwari has not yet filed a plea responding to the Cityof Joburg’s allegations. As with all civil litigation, the allegations contained in the summons have yet to be tested before the court.
