Publications
- Alleged unrest instigator Ngizwe Mchunu appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg on charges relating to the July violence.
- Mchunu was flanked by armed guards dressed in black.
- The matter was postponed to verify the authenticity of a document handed to the State by the defence.
Former Ukhozi FM radio personality Ngizwe Mchunu, who has been charged with inciting violence during the unrest in July 2021, appeared in the Randburg Magistrate's Court in Johannesburg on Friday.
Mchunu arrived at court dressed in traditional attire and supported by armed men in black who stood guard outside the court with rifles and handguns.
During Mchunu's court appearance, prosecutor Yusuf Baba said the State needed more time to verify a document given to them by the defence.
Baba said the investigating officer in the matter needed to go to KwaZulu-Natal to verify the information, adding that it was not "something that can be investigated locally".
The matter was then postponed to 17 June 2022.
READ | #UnrestSA: These are the four alleged instigators who were granted bail this week
Mchunu handed himself over to Durban police on 19 July 2021 after allegedly inciting public violence during a media briefing he held at a Bryanston hotel on 11 July in support of the release of former president Jacob Zuma.
During his two-day bail application, the State opposed bail, stating that he was a flight risk. It also presented video evidence from Mchunu's social media accounts in which he claimed that he had evaded police five times.
Magistrate Gayle Pretorius found that none of the evidence presented by the State proved the incitement charge and granted Mchunu R2 000 bail, News24 reported at the time.
The former radio personality has been charged with inciting public violence and breaching the Disaster Management Act.
READ | Zuma supporter Ngizwe Mchunu granted R2 000 bail
Following his brief court appearance on Friday, Mchunu told the media that there was "no case at all" against him.
He said:
According to Mchunu, the document mentioned in court, that needed to be verified, dealt with whether he was permitted to travel to Johannesburg or not.
"I am a presenter. I am a person [who] work[ed] like you. I got a permit a long time ago. We covered all the things that happened in South Africa," he said.
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane told the media they were ready to proceed and set a trial date, but the defence approached the State with a document.
"Obviously, as the State, we need to do our own background check in terms of checking the authenticity of that document, hence the matter has been postponed for that purpose and for the defence to make representations to the State," she said.
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