The family of former Ukhozi FM deejay Ngizwe Mchunu has been dealt a double blow, as the media personality is scheduled to appear in court on the same day as his daughter next week.
Mchunu’s minor daughter is scheduled to appear in the Esikhawini Magistrates’ Court after allegedly being sexually assaulted by a 57-year-old family member last year. Her court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday, the same day as her father’s appearance in a different province.
Mchunu’s lawyer, Vusi Khathi, confirmed that the daughter will appear in court on the same day as her father, who is attending to his own legal matters at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court.
“He’ll make arrangements because he’s still in police custody at this point. He doesn’t have a choice,” Khathi explained.
During last year’s hard lockdown, the girl was allegedly sexually assaulted multiple times at her home in Esikhawini village, Empangeni. In May, a sexual assault case was opened at the Empangeni Police Station.
Mchunu said in an interview at the time that the situation had saddened and nearly broken him.
“I was disappointed and saddened when those things were told to me. As a traditional activist and public figure, I understand how a parent feels when they learn that their daughter has been sexually abused. “I was completely disturbed when my daughter told me about her abuse and how it had affected her, and I nearly lost my life during those days,” he said.
The case was dropped and then reopened after the former Roots TV show host publicly requested that the charges be reinstated. Mchunu claimed the elderly suspect offered him and his family bribes in exchange for the charges being dropped.
“The perpetrator did everything he could, abusing his access to the entire family system, and even promised to pay me R100,000 and two cows if I dropped the case and did not send my daughter to court so that the case could be withdrawn.”
It has been seven days since the arrest of the outspoken Nkandla resident, who is accused of instigating some of the violence and looting that engulfed KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng last week.
Following his bail hearing on Wednesday, the staunch supporter of former President Jacob Zuma was led down to the holding cells at the Randburg Magistrates’ Court, where his case was remanded to this week.
Although there has been speculation that additional charges, including treason, could be added to Mchunu’s charge sheet, his lawyer stated that he had not received any formal communication to that effect.
“We have not received a charge sheet from the office of the senior public prosecutor. They promised to send it, but they haven’t yet, so the charge [of inciting public violence and looting] is still the only one [he faces], according to our knowledge,” Khathi said. Close family members revealed that they had encouraged the radio host to turn himself in to police.
“We told him to turn himself in because there were rumors that an arrest warrant had been issued for him, but he hadn’t seen any documentation to that effect. “We advised him to go ahead and turn himself in,” a family friend said.
“He did turn himself in. He wouldn’t have run away [then], so why would he run away now?”
Prior to and after Zuma’s arrest a fortnight ago, Mchunu was at the center of a number of gatherings and mobilizations in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal at Zuma’s home in Nkandla.
“I am concerned about what will happen in this country if our president is not released from prison within three days, beginning today [Sunday].”
“President Cyril Ramaphosa, Judge Raymond Zondo, the time for your meetings is over. “If Zuma is not released from prison, all hell will break loose!” On July 11, Mchunu told a group of his supporters at the Kwa Mai Mai traditional shopping market in Johannesburg.