Ngizwe Mchunu Pleads Not Guilty On July Charges

Ngizwe Mchunu has been accused of being one of the many instigators of the July Unrest.

Following the arrest of former South African President Jacob Zuma, there was unrest in various parts of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021.

The radio host appeared in Randburg Magistrates Court on Tuesday, accused of inciting the violence that followed Jacob Zuma’s arrest.

Ngizwe then denied being the instigator, claiming that he held the press conference out of concern for his ‘father.’

“They are lying. I know nothing about those charges,” he was quoted saying in court. I have heard and understood the charges explained by my lawyer and plead not guilty to all. I am a radio and television personality. I’m also a poet and cultural activist. In 2020, I established my online radio… On 11 July 2021, I sent invitations to journalists to discuss the then-current affairs. At the time, it was during the arrest of Zuma, ” his plea statement continues.
“I held a media briefing at a hotel in Bryanston to show concerns over Zuma’s arrest. Zuma is my neighbour [in Nkandla]. In my African culture, I regard him as my father.” “I didn’t condone any violence. I pleaded with fellow Africans to stop destroying infrastructure. I didn’t incite any violence.
“He is my neighbour and I regard him as a father in my African culture.I raised my disappointment over his arrest, but didn’t condone any violence.I pleaded with fellow Africans to stop destroying infrastructure. I begged my brothers and sisters, I said to them, ‘My brothers and sisters, I’m begging you as we are destroying our country.. I didn’t incite any violence, and I traveled to Gauteng for work purposes because I had a permit to work during the lockdown.”