Images and photos of the recent traditional wedding of same-sex couple Simon Seun Nhlapo and Crosby Jodwana on 27 September 2025 were widely shared on social media. The happy event should have been remembered as a celebration of love and culture.
Instead, it was followed by a storm of controversy after high-profile sangoma (traditional healer) and former radio host Ngizwe Mchunu released a Facebook video reacting to the wedding, in which he declared that he “hates” the LGBTQIA+ community.
In his rant to the 613,000 followers of his “Ngizwe Online” Facebook page, Mchunu attacked gay men for wearing traditional attire, insisting that such garments were reserved for heterosexual men.
He also singled out popular queer celebrity Somizi Mhlongo, using explicit and demeaning language. The video quickly went viral and sparked outrage nationwide.
A Second Video Escalates the Rhetoric
Mchunu later doubled down in a second video, this time targeting the queer presence at Kwa Mai Mai, a popular Johannesburg shisa nyama and cultural hub. Complaining about “too many gay people” being at the venue, he claimed it was a space meant only for real men and was now being overcrowded by queer people.
In his tirade, Mchunu declared that gay people must “go be gay somewhere else” and should not “bring their gayness here,” vowing that he would not tolerate it. The remarks have further fuelled anger, with activists describing them as clear attempts to incite exclusion and hostility against queer South Africans in cultural spaces.
The videos have generated almost 100,000 engagements, including thousands of likes, comments and shares.
Mchunu has courted controversy before, most notably for his support of disgraced former president Jacob Zuma during the 2021 unrest in South Africa.
LGBTQIA+ Organisations Respond
KwaZulu-Natal–based advocacy group TransHope, alongside other LGBTQIA+ organisations, issued a joint statement rejecting Mchunu’s rhetoric as unconstitutional and dangerous.
“Such statements are not only deeply insulting and discriminatory but also in direct violation of the South African Constitution, which guarantees the rights, dignity, and equality of all individuals, including LGBTQIA+ people,” said TransHope.
The organisations demanded that Mchunu apologise publicly, undergo LGBTQIA+ sensitivity training, and face accountability under the law.
“Culture is not the property of a select few, it is a living, shared heritage that evolves with its people. Same-sex couples, like any other couples, have the right to honour their traditions, love openly, and live with dignity,” the statement reads.
Human Rights Complaint to the SAHRC
Human rights activist Mxolisi Makhubu has also formally lodged a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC). In his letter, he accused Mchunu of hate speech, incitement to violence, and ethnic mobilisation against queer South Africans:
“His recent utterance, although since deleted, garnered more than one million views online, with hundreds of comments openly calling for the public execution of queer people. The fact that his original post has been taken down does not absolve him of responsibility, nor does it erase the immense damage already caused.”
Makhubu argued that Mchunu’s words go beyond opinion or cultural commentary:
“They constitute a direct attack on queer South Africans, effectively denying them their cultural birthright and their right to belong to the communities in which they were born. This attempt to displace queer people from their culture is nothing short of diabolical, and it is accompanied by rhetoric that emboldens calls for their murder.”
He further highlighted the broader context of violence against LGBTQIA+ people in KwaZulu-Natal:
“Between 2021 and 2023 alone, at least 20 LGBTQIA+ individuals were murdered in KwaZulu-Natal on the basis of their sexuality or gender identities. These are not abstract statistics. They are lives lost to hatred, prejudice and silence. To allow public figures such as Mr Mchunu to fuel this violence with impunity is to embolden killers and to sanction further bloodshed.”
Makhubu called on the SAHRC to urgently investigate and refer the matter for prosecution under the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act of 2023 and the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA):
“Lives are already being lost. Every day that individuals like Mr Mchunu are permitted to incite violence without consequences is another day that queer South Africans live under siege. The South African Human Rights Commission has both the mandates and the moral obligation to act decisively.”
A complaint has also been lodged with the SAHRC by the Embrace Diversity Movement which stated that Mchunu’s “violent language and dehumanising comparisons incite discrimination and potential physical harm against LGBTIQ individuals, which is unacceptable in our democratic society.”
Sidebar: South Africa’s Hate Speech Laws
Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (PEPUDA), 2000
- Section 10 prohibits publishing or propagating words based on sexual orientation (among other grounds) that are hurtful, harmful, or promote hatred.
- Provides legal recourse for those targeted by discriminatory speech or actions.
Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act, 2023
- Signed into law in May 2024 but has not yet been implement pending regulations to be issued by the Department of Justice.
- Section 3 criminalises intentional communication that advocates hatred based on sexual orientation and incites harm.
- Punishable by fines or imprisonment.
Constitutional Protections
- Section 9 (Equality): All people are equal before the law and protected against unfair discrimination.
- Section 10 (Human Dignity): Everyone has inherent dignity and the right to have it respected.
- Section 31 (Cultural Rights): All South Africans, including LGBTQIA+ people, may participate fully in cultural life.
Together, these laws affirm that homophobia and incitement to violence are not protected as “cultural expression” but are actionable offences.
A Call for Accountability
Mchunu has yet to issue a response. Meanwhile, queer activists stress that this moment must be a turning point for South Africa to take a firm stand against hate speech.
“Dialogue and empathy are the pathways to inclusivity. We call on society, leaders, and cultural custodians to reject hate and uphold the values of dignity, respect, and equality. The LGBTQIA+ community deserves nothing less,” TransHope asserted.
