Controversy continues to rage over remarks made by controversial former Ukhozi FM DJ Ngizwe Mchunu about the use of Zulu royal traditional regalia by the LGBTQI+ communities.
In a widely shared social media clip last week, Mchunu, who is now the president of amabhinca nation, made derogatory comments about LGBTQI+ individuals using tribal rhetoric and dehumanising language.
The outburst was in response to gay couple Simon Nhlapo and Crosby Jodwana, who recently wed wearing imvunulo (traditional Zulu attire).
His remarks drew criticism from civil society groups, human rights advocates and members of the public, who said his comments were homophobic and incited hate and violence.
Despite widespread condemnation and a complaint lodged with the South African Human Rights Commission, Mchunu ― who left the MK Party last year ― has not backed down and has vowed to continue his fight.
He said the wearing of royal traditional regalia by the LGBTQI+ community was an insult to the Zulu nation.
“We cannot fold our arms and allow people to disrespect our culture. Royal regalia is sacred to us, not every Tom, Dick and Harry wear it,” he said.
Now prominent KwaZulu-Natal-based cultural lobby group Injeje yabeNguni has come out in support of Mchunu.
Injeje leader induna Phumlani Mfeka said they affirm their “unequivocal” support for Mchunu in his stance regarding the misuse of sacred royal regalia — particularly leopard skin garments traditionally reserved for royal ceremonies and ancestral veneration. He said the use undermined their spiritual and cultural sanctity.
“Royal regalia in the isiNguni tradition are not mere ornaments or fashionable attire. They represent sacred symbols of authority, lineage and communion with the royal ancestors. To wear such regalia is to enter into covenant with the amaThongo (ancestral spirits) and Amakhosi eNcwala (Supreme Royal Ancestry). It is an invocation, not a costume,” said Mfeka.
He said while council fully recognises and respects the constitutional rights of all individuals regardless of gender or sexual orientation, they reject any appropriation of sacred symbols in contexts that desecrate their meaning, particularly during LGBTQ+ wedding ceremonies.
“Cultural rights, like all rights, must be exercised with respect for the beliefs and sanctities of the communities from which they originate. We wish to make it emphatically clear: the right to self-expression does not eclipse the collective right of a people to preserve their sacred traditions.
“Where sacred regalia are used out of context — especially in ways that directly conflict with ancestral protocols — it amounts to cultural provocation and spiritual desecration," he said.
Mfeka warned the targeting of Mchunu by the SAHRC, which he claimed is “renowned for its prioritising of minority rights ahead of the majority”, will result in a retaliation that will commensurate the provocation.
“We stand not against any group, but in defence of our ancestors and the sacred symbols they entrusted to us, thus we shall not remain silent when the spiritual integrity of our people is at stake,” he said.
The former leader of Mazibuye African Forum, Mfeka had a run in with the SAHRC and the equality court after being accused of hate speech against the Indian community in 2019.
This is after he labelled Mahatma Gandhi a racist and claimed that Indians have enslaved Africans.
The equality court found him guilty of inciting racial hatred.
On Monday, KwaZulu-Natal legislature speaker Nontembeko Boyce joined hands with the LGBTQIA+ community, activists and allies across South Africa in strongly condemning Mchunu’s homophobic remarks.
“These comments, made in response to a same-sex customary marriage, undermine the dignity and equality of individuals and stand in direct conflict with the values enshrined in our constitution. As the preamble of the constitution reminds us, South Africa is founded on the principles of human rights, equality and dignity for all.
“The Bill of Rights makes it clear that all people are equal before the law and are protected against unfair discrimination, including on the grounds of sexual orientation. It affirms that everyone has inherent dignity, which must be respected and protected, and it safeguards the cultural rights of all South Africans to participate freely in their traditions. This includes the LGBTQIA+ community, who are entitled to honour their heritage, celebrate their love and live openly without fear or prejudice,” she said.
Boyce said KwaZulu-Natal has tragically seen some of the most horrific killings of members of the LGBTQIA+ community in South Africa.
“It is against this painful backdrop that Mr Mchunu’s remarks are especially dangerous. His words do not exist in isolation, they fuel an environment of hate, legitimise prejudice and embolden acts of violence. When public figures spread homophobia, they directly contribute to the culture of fear and the rise of hate crimes that already scar our province,” she said.
She added that remarks such as those made by Mchunu are not only divisive but constitute hate speech as defined in law.
“The recently signed Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act makes it a criminal offence to intentionally publish, propagate, advocate or communicate words that incite harm, promote hatred or discriminate against others on the basis of sexual orientation.
“This law recognises what communities in KwaZulu-Natal already know too well: that hate speech does not end with words, it creates an environment in which hate crimes and killings occur. In a province where LGBTQIA+ lives are already under attack, such speech cannot be tolerated, excused or dismissed,” she said.
Embrace Diversity Movement South Africa (EDM) lodged the complaint with the SAHRC.
EDM secretary-general Mpho Buntse condemned Mchunu’s remarks as “a direct assault on the constitutional values of equality, dignity and freedom”.
The SAHRC is investigating the complaint.
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