Radio personality Ngizwe Mchunu has opened a case of assault against KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala, the former Ukhozi FM presenter said on Monday, noting that because he suffers from asthma, he could have died as a result of the premier’s attack.
Zikalala also laid charges of assault and crimen injuria against Mchunu at the Durban Central police station on Sunday afternoon following a fracas between the two at Ingoma Kazwelonke competition at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government said in a statement that there had been a sequence of insults and provocations by Mchunu aimed at Zikalala.
“In continuation of this widely publicised mode of attack on the premier, Mr Mchunu escalated this when he came over to the exclusive area where the premier was seated and started hurling insults at the premier. With the aid of security personnel, the premier had to leave the event,” read the statement.
“As a public servant and private individual, the premier reserves all rights applicable to him in terms of our constitution. In this regard, the premier stands ready and is duty bound to exhaust all legal avenues to protect himself and the dignity of the office he occupies from unscrupulous and unwarranted attacks by individuals such as Mr Mchunu.”
Mchunu, who is also a former Roots presenter on SABC1, was jailed in July 2021 after he was accused of inciting violence linked to the unrest in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
The week-long violence, which claimed more than 300 lives in the two provinces, was triggered by the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma.
Mchunu appeared at the Randburg magistrate’s court in March and the case was postponed to June 17 for the state to verify the documents given by the defence team.
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