According to Holland, Mugabe's first wife, Sally Hayfron, was Mugabe's "confidante and only real friend", being "one of the few people who could challenge Mugabe's ideas without offending him".
Ifølge journalisten Heidi Holland var Mugabes første kone, Sally Hayfron, hans "fortrolige og eneste virkelige ven", samt "et af de få mennesker, der kunne udfordre Mugabes ideer uden at fornærme ham".