Ngizwe Mchunu will spend the night in the comfort of his home for the first time since he was arrested and charged last week with instigating the shutdown riots that plundered the economies of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and Gauteng.
Ngizwe Mchunu released on bail: What happens now?
The former radio DJ appeared before the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, to submit a final plea for bail. According to reports, Mchunu vowed to see his public violence case through till the end and contrary to the state’s assertions, he would not flee the country.
The avid Jacob Zuma supporter added that as the primary financial head of a household with three wives and 12 children, running away would not be his most convenient option.
Teasing the contents of its merits, the state opposed Mchunu’s application with video clips that showed the former DJ at the forefront of the unrest that was, at first, driven by calls for the release of Zuma.
The NPA argued that Mchunu is a flight risk and granting him bail could open up an opportunity for him to escape from an airtight case where, if found guilty, he could spend a considerable time behind bars.
After all, the Ukhozi FM host has access to a private jet and an active US passport.
However, the Randburg Magistrate’s Court disagreed with the state’s assertions. The court determined that Mchunu has no prior convictions and his status in his family played a crucial role in the call to grant him R2 000 bail.
“He is not the kind of person who can afford to just disappear. It is a combination of his responsibility to his wife and children and his loyalty to Mr Zuma to see if he is released,” Magistrate Gayle Pretorius ruled.
Does the state have a solid case against Mchunu?
Mchunu is facing two charges, contravening lockdown regulations which — at the time — were set on Alert Level 4, and inciting public violence.
On social media, the former Ukhozi FM is a Zulu hero. However, if the NPA presents its case in a strong and convincing fashion, Mchunu’s social status could be downgraded to ‘prisoner’.
At the centre of the state’s case are a number of videos where Mchunu was heard, on more than one occasion, expressing his deep-rooted disgust over the arrest of the former president.
In one particular video clip of interest, Mchunu was heard shouting, “ayikhale!” a colloquial phrase which, in some settings, could be interpreted as a call for violence.
Coincidentally, shortly after this video clip surfaced on social media, shutdown riots and looting erupted in Soweto, Cleveland and other parts of Gauteng.
The former Ukhozi FM host has also alleged that the shutdown riots were orchestrated by Police Minister Bheki Cele, a claim that he may have to substantiate under oath.
These are just some of the worries that will sit with Mchunu as he awaits his next court appearance. Until then, the Zuma supporter will have to report to a nearby police station everyday and not leave the province without informing authorities.