Former Ukhozi FM presenter Ngizwe Mchunu’s case for allegedly inciting violence during the July 2021 unrest was again postponed by the Randburg magistrate’s court on Wednesday.
The case was postponed to October 3 for sentencing.
Mchunu arrived at court accompanied by amabutho, who were all dressed in traditional Zulu attire and chanting in support of him.
Addressing the media outside court, Mchunu, who also presented the traditional music show Roots on SABC 1, said he is tired of the delays because the logistics to attend court from KwaZulu-Natal to Johannesburg are expensive.
He said his hope is that the case gets wrapped up soon, even if it means him going to jail.
“I’m not afraid of jail, the world continued before I was born, going to jail will change nothing. I’ve been delayed for nothing. I have suffered and been tortured for something I did not do,” he said.
He said he will stand for what he believes in for the next generation to know about his life.
Mchunu’s lawyer Vusi Khathi said they have submitted their arguments and they’re now waiting for the court to make its verdict.
“Now we wait. We did all that needed to be done, submitted our arguments, so it is all up to the court to hand down the judgment,” said Khathi.
Mchunu was arrested after he was accused of being the instigator of the riots. He is also accused for being in contravention of the Disaster Management Act.
Mchunu publicly demanded that former president Jacob Zuma, who had been arrested for being in contempt of court, be released.
More than 350 people lost their lives during the unrest that unfolded mainly in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng provinces.
Many other people were injured, and the economy suffered a disastrous loss after shops were burned down and looted, leaving hundreds of employees in affected shops being retrenched.
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