A Heart-Wrenching Tale of Betrayal: The Cost of a Dream
In a saga that has shocked communities across continents, a selfless act of kindness has spiraled into a devastating betrayal. At the heart of this story lies Tawanda Mutasa, a rising star at Australia’s Viva Energy, whose refusal to repay a life-changing $200,000 loan from his elderly aunt has left her on the brink of homelessness. What began as a promise of hope and opportunity has unraveled into a bitter feud, exposing greed, deception, and a family torn apart. This is not just a dispute over money—it’s a stark reminder of how gratitude can curdle into ingratitude, leaving scars that may never heal.
Viva Energy’s Engineer, Tawanda Mutasa Scoffs At Aunt (75) Who’s Losing Home To Pay For His Uni Loan, ‘You Won’t Get A Penny!’
The Betrayal of Kindness: Tawanda Mutasa’s Debt Scandal
By Investigative Reporter | ZimEye | In an extraordinary twist of fate, the promising career of Tawanda Calvin Mutasa, an Advanced Process Control Engineer at Australia’s Viva Energy, has been shadowed by a highly publicized and disturbing family feud. The controversy stems from a staggering $200,000 debt that his elderly aunt, a Good Samaritan who facilitated his escape from Zimbabwe to attend a Canadian university, reveals he has willfully refused to repay. Instead, Mutasa contends that his debt has been settled through a single chauffeured drive, an argument that has sparked outrage and disbelief, culminating in a deep schism within the family.
Mutasa’s aunt, who has been battling illness and financial instability, paints a haunting picture of betrayal. Her story is one of sacrifice, deception, and a descent into despair, triggered by what she describes as Mutasa’s cold, manipulative refusal to honor a long-standing verbal agreement to repay his educational expenses.
Years ago in 2006, as Zimbabwe faced mounting economic turmoil, Mutasa’s aunt—a Canadian immigrant of Zimbabwean descent—was approached by Tawanda and his mother to help secure a better future for her nephew. She was asked to lay for his tuition, living expenses, and other educational costs at a Canadian university. This requested loan was supposed to be a temporary lifeline, with the expectation that, upon graduation and securing employment, Mutasa would repay the money. What she did not anticipate, however, was the convoluted and painful journey that would follow.
In an interview conducted by Simba Chikanza on July 8, 2024, Mutasa offered a brusque dismissal of the debt issue. When confronted with the fact that his aunt was still owed $200,000, Mutasa replied, “There is nothing outstanding, so everything has been concluded.” His curt response, followed by cutting the phone call, suggested a complete disengagement from the gravity of the financial burden his aunt has been carrying for years.
Tawanda Mutasa’s aunt, Beryl Nkwazi (75)
A Legal Battle and a Heartbreaking Betrayal
Mutasa’s aunt, Beryl Nkwazi, has since taken the matter to court multiple times in an effort to recoup the funds. Despite her court battles, she has been met with denials and attempts at misrepresentation from both Mutasa and his mother, Grace, who was once considered a close relative. Grace who is the Belvedere based former Standard Bank manager, denied in court that there was ever any agreement for her son to repay the loan, a claim that has been proven false by email evidence. The request was clear that this is a loan to be repaid when he secures a job after university.
“Between being in and out of emergency care and admissions,” the aunt said in her emotional statement, “I have been trying to put this story together, but it’s difficult. I never imagined that the person I helped would turn on me like this.”
The aunt claims that Mutasa’s behaviour throughout the years, and his outright refusal to repay the debt, has revealed a darker side to his character. She describes it as “pathological extreme greed, narcissism, and heartlessness.” These qualities, she says, were hidden behind a veil of charm and promises when she initially agreed to help him.
What adds to her anguish is the revelation that Grace, the woman she considered her sister, made it clear during one of their confrontations that they did not share the same father. “This was traumatic,” she said, “It was as if I had never been part of this family at all.”
Manipulation and Lies
The situation took a further sinister turn when it was revealed that while the aunt was struggling to cover Mutasa’s expenses, his family was covertly sending him money. Bank statements revealed that Mutasa had received funds behind her back to support a lifestyle that included frequent dining out, new clothes, and even a holiday in Australia. According to the aunt, Tawanda claimed his trips and indulgences were funded by his then-girlfriend, now wife, Amanda. This was a stark contrast to the sacrifices she and her children made, going without many essentials to ensure that Mutasa could complete his education.
The most shocking blow came when a relative informed her that Mutasa had brazenly told them he expected repayment for the one instance he drove his aunt from Saskatoon to Calgary—a trip she had required after a night shift. This, according to her, was the final piece of evidence that Mutasa never intended to repay the debt and had been calculating his escape from financial responsibility all along.
An Aunt’s Plea
For Mutasa’s aunt, the entire ordeal has not only left her in financial ruin but has taken an irreparable toll on her health. She describes the stress of the situation as overwhelming, especially when she realized that Mutasa was thriving in his career in Australia, enjoying a salary that could easily repay the loan within months.
“He is living a standard of life he could never have dreamt of on my back,” she said bitterly. “He has no remorse, and he is perfectly fine with the fact that I am drowning in debt while he lives an opulent lifestyle.”
Her sense of betrayal is compounded by the attitude of Mutasa’s family, who she believes never intended to honor their promises. Grace’s mocking laughter during a meeting to discuss the loan repayment will forever be etched in her mind. “She laughed at me and said, ‘Tichawonaka kuti mari yacho yamurikuda muchaiwana seyi!’—We’ll see how you expect to get your money!” My son is starting his life and you want him to work for you!?,” to which I responded asking her, so it’s okay for me to work for him?
It was in that moment, the aunt says, that she realized they had no intention of repaying her.
“The email stating that Tawanda should apply for a scholarship back in 2007 is very clear,” she speaks.
She continues saying: “The addresses to apply for same were also provided. Another email to his mother that disputes the claim I had offered to fund his education, which his mother had dishonestly stated to the courts.
“All this is evidence that proves the dishonesty by Tawanda and his mother,” she adds.
In further responses, Tawanda accuses his aunt, saying she just wants to become a shareholder. “Are you now a shareholder to my education?,” he says.
A Final Drive: Payment or Insult?
Perhaps the most controversial aspect of the dispute is Mutasa’s assertion that he has already repaid the debt. He claims that a single chauffeured drive between Canadian cities, Saskatoon and Calgary, suffices as repayment for the hundreds of thousands of dollars she spent on his education. This claim has left many family members bewildered and enraged, as it starkly contrasts the magnitude of the debt.
For the aunt, the notion that a single drive could erase such a massive financial and emotional burden is not just insulting—it is the ultimate act of ingratitude. “How can he believe that driving me once between two cities is equivalent to $200,000?” she asked, incredulous.
“It’s a slap in the face after everything I’ve done for him.”
In interviews, both Tawanda and his mother did not at any time deny that there is an educational loan that is still to be repaid his aunt.
Two brothers have confirmed the incident proving the existence of the loan arrangement from back in 2006.
One of the brothers affirming says: “I am Charles Mangurenje, brother to warring sisters; And I have tried to mediate between the two, however it has not worked.
“There was an agreement to repay my elder sister when Tawanda began working. It is shocking that they say that there was no verbal agreement.
“But Tawanda cannot be enriched at my sisters expense. She is soon going to be homeless because of this kind of greed. This could not happen,” Charles concludes.
This family saga may be a reminder of how quickly gratitude can turn to greed and betrayal. While Tawanda Mutasa continues to thrive professionally, his personal and family relationships are in tatters. His aunt, the woman who saved him from a life of limited opportunities in Zimbabwe, now grapples with the devastating consequences of this injustice.
The question remains: Will Tawanda Mutasa ever take responsibility for the debt he owes, or will he continue to distance himself from the woman who sacrificed everything for his future? For now, the answer remains unclear, but the damage done may be impossible to repair.- ZimEye
Like this:
Like Loading...
