Despite initial permit issues with the police, the President of the Bhinca Nation, Ngizwe Mchunu, was eventually allowed to hold his cultural carnival, presenting a challenge to the EFF’s election manifesto at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
It is alleged he resolved the permit issues for the event.
Notably, a significant number of people gathered at the carnival, with many reportedly leaving the EFF manifesto launch to join Mchunu’s event.
Initially, the police in KwaZulu-Natal had directed former radio personality Ngizwe Mchunu to cease his preparations and vacate Gugu Dlamini Park, where he intended to hold a cultural event to rival the EFF’s election manifesto launch.
Allegedly, the police informed him that his event was not approved. In a brief interview with the media, Mchunu accused Julius Malema of sabotaging his event, the Amabhinca Festival.
The dispute between Mchunu and the EFF leadership, including Julius Malema, traces back to last year when Mchunu made tribalistic comments, asserting he would not permit the red berets to launch their manifesto in Durban.
He also issued a threat to obstruct Malema’s manifesto launch at the stadium. Following his refusal to apologize, Mchunu lost his JAC ambassadorship and was compelled to return the sponsored vehicle.
Despite these challenges, Mchunu has pledged to proceed with his cultural event, blaming the EFF for undermining his long-planned festival.
On Friday, he was observed setting up a stage at Gugu Dlamini Park, located just outside The Workshop in Durban. News reported that police and security personnel were deployed at the park to prevent the event from occurring.
Attempts by News to obtain comments from several KZN SAPS spokespeople have so far been unsuccessful.
In a related development, Vusi Khoza, a former member of the EFF in the province, initiated a counter-campaign against the party’s manifesto launch at the stadium.
Khoza, who was expelled from the party for not arranging buses for the EFF’s 10th anniversary celebration in Soweto, Gauteng, last year, urged people to attend Mchunu’s event instead of the EFF manifesto launch.
Meanwhile, the EFF proceeded with its manifesto launch at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, attracting a substantial crowd of red beret supporters from KZN, filling the 50,000-seater stadium.
Politics
