Mchunu was chased away from a popular market in Johannesburg, where he attempted to confront gays.
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) has condemned former Ukhozi FM presenter Ngizwe Mchunu for his public utterances against members of the gay community.
Last week, Mchunu was posting anti-LBGTQIA+ material on his social media platforms, condemning gay people who were wearing Zulu traditional attire.
The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has also confirmed that it has received complaints about Mchunu’s conduct.
Mchunu says gay men who wear traditional Zulu attire should be punished because they are disrespecting Zulu culture.
“Imvunulo (traditional Zulu attire) is the pride of the ethnic group. We do not even want remuneration from that gay man. We wish a plague upon him. He deserves to be arrested or a talking to,” said Mchunu in one of his social media rants.
CGE responds
CGE spokesperson Javu Baloyi said Mchunu’s utterances are disturbing.
“The CGE strongly condemns these remarks as a grave violation of human rights and an incitement of violence against a marginalised community.
“Beyond the immediate harm, such rhetoric carries far-reaching consequences. The violent nature of Mchunu’s statements and the incitement that occurred over the past weekend at the KwaMai-Mai establishment in Johannesburg are shocking and unacceptable.
“Words have consequences, and in this case, they have sown fear, division, and potential harm among an already vulnerable group,” he said.
Mchunu was chased out of the KwaMai-Mai market last week, together with a group of men. They had gone there to allegedly confront gay men who violate their culture.
SA’s history of homophobia
Baloyi said such acts have the potential of reversing the democratic gains of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“Historically, South Africa has witnessed the devastating outcomes of hate speech and targeted violence, particularly against black township lesbians since the early 2000s.
“Such incidents remind us that harmful words can quickly escalate into acts of brutality. The CGE is deeply concerned about the persistence of gender-based and sexuality-based violence in a society that remains trapped in binary notions of gender.
“We therefore call for equal respect and dignity for all persons, women, men, and those who exist beyond these binaries,” he said.
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Past problems with the law
This is not the first time that Mchunu has been in trouble for inciting violence; he was also accused of being one of the instigators in the 2021 July unrests.
He is known to be a Jacob Zuma supporter, and he describes himself as the president of the Amabhinca, a subculture that preserves Zulu customs in modern South Africa.
Mchunu’s utterances came after a gay couple in Johannesburg got married wearing traditional gear; one wore a Zulu warrior’s attire, while the other wore an Xhosa attire.
The couple has been on various media platforms explaining their choice of outfits for their wedding.
