Ngizwe Mchunu Found Guilty of Hate Speech Against LGBTQ+ People, Ordered to Pay R250,000 Fine
- South African anti-immigrant activist Ngizwe Mchunu was hit with fresh legal trouble after being found guilty by the Johannesburg High Court
- In a case brought against him by the LGBT advocacy group TransHope, he was convicted of hate speech, harassment, and unfair discrimination
- The court imposed heavy sanctions on the viral anti-immigrant protest leader, including an order to unreservedly apologise to the LGBT community
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South African anti-immigrant activist Ngizwe Mchunu received a heavy sentence from the Johannesburg High Court after being found guilty in a hate speech case involving acts against LGBT South Africans.
Source: Facebook
The Court, sitting as the Equality Court, ruled on Friday, June 19, 2026, that Mchunu was guilty of hate speech, harassment, and unfair discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
Ngizwe Mchunu sued over discriminatory LGBT comments
In October 2025, the LGBTQ activist group TransHope filed a case against the media personality at the Johannesburg High Court for allegedly inciting hatred against the community.
They accused the prominent anti-immigrant campaigner of making disparaging comments against the LGBT community on Facebook after images of the prominent LGBT couple, Crosby Jodwana and Sean Nhlapo, getting married in traditional attire went viral.
Mchunu allegedly organised a march against the LGBT community after his comments, leading a crowd wielding weapons to a venue where they sought to confront them.
TransHope's case was bolstered after other prominent groups, including the Hate Crimes Working Group (HCWG), and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), joined the case.
Below is a Facebook post with details of Ngizwe Mchunu's court case.
Judge delivers judgement against Ngizwe Mchunu
In the June 19, 2026, ruling, Judge Wright found Ngizwe Mchunu guilty and handed down a heavy sentence.
The ruling said his actions contravened South African law and ordered him to pay a fine, legal costs, and other reliefs sought by the complainants, including a public apology.
"[Mchunu’s statements] were quite obviously hate speech, harassment and unfair discrimination under sections 10, 11 and 6 of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 4 of 2000," the ruling said.
Reliefs granted included a fine of R250,000, an unconditional apology to LGBTQ+ people to be posted on his Facebook page within five days and to remain pinned for three months, complainant's legal costs.
The anti-immigrant activist was also ordered to undergo 20 hours of human rights sensitisation.
“Hate speech fuels prejudice. Prejudice fuels discrimination. Discrimination fuels violence,” HCWG said in a statement.
"In a country where LGBTQIA+ people continue to face harassment, exclusion, and hate crimes, words have consequences. This judgment decisively affirms that reality!
Below is a Facebook post with details of the ruling against Ngizwe Mchunu.
Reactions to Ngizwe Mchunu's sentence
YEN.com.gh compiled some comments reacting to Ngizwe Mchunu's sentence for disparaging the LGBT community.
Sanjai Tentwala said:
"We need to understand that we live in a civil society and we have to respect and abide by the laws of the land. Freedom of speech is great. Just not verbal diarrhoea."
Chill Out wrote:
"Supporters will again contribute R250.000 for him? Yoo, that's too much."
Katambala Chirwa commented:
"I think the state is trying to silence him. R250k is too much for him."
Source: Facebook
Ngizwe Mchunu faces six months in jail
Previously, YEN.com.gh reported that Ngizwe Mchunu faced six months in jail following a case brought against him by politician Julius Malema.
Malema filed a petition with the court in South Africa citing Mchunu for contempt and calling for a ten day sentence for making false claims against him to be expanded to six months.
Source: YEN.com.gh
