“IT WAS A TOY — NOT A REAL GUN,” SAYS DEPUTY MAYOR NOKUZOLA KOLWAPI — AS POLICE PROBE VIDEO AND ANC DEMANDS ACCOUNTABILITY

Bitou Deputy Mayor Nokuzola “Noksi” Kolwapi.

By Mpho Dube, Editor-in-Chief, The Azanian

Bitou Deputy Mayor Nokuzola “Noksi” Kolwapi has firmly denied discharging a real firearm during a traditional mgidi ceremony for her son, insisting the object in her hand was a replica toy gun.

The claim comes after a video showing her firing shots into the air in Kwanokuthula, Plettenberg Bay, went viral on Sunday, 21 December 2025 — sparking immediate police action and political outrage.

In a written statement released Monday, Kolwapi said: “The item witnessed in my hand is a replica [toy gun]. It was taken during my son’s ulwaluko — a sacred Xhosa initiation ceremony that marks the transition into manhood. It’s unfortunate that this moment has been used to score political points by the bogus so-called local community leaders.”

She framed the incident not as a threat, but as a symbolic “declaration” that women can hold cultural and political authority — a message that has drawn both support and fierce criticism.

Kwanokuthula police have opened a case of discharging a firearm against Kolwapi, and officers visited the scene after the video circulated on social media. Southern Cape police spokesperson Warrant Officer Christopher Spies confirmed the probe is in its early stages, and no arrests have been made yet.

The ANC’s Victor Molosi region condemned the alleged conduct and urged law‑enforcement agencies to urgently investigate both the video’s authenticity and the circumstances. “The law must take its course without fear or favour,” said regional spokesperson Moyisi Magalela.

The controversy echoes the recent conviction of EFF leader Julius Malema, who was found guilty on 1 October 2025 of unlawfully discharging a firearm in a public space during a 2018 rally in Mdantsane.

Malema claimed the weapon was a “toy gun,” but Magistrate Twanet Olivier rejected the defence and convicted him on five counts — including unlawful possession of a firearm, ammunition, and reckless endangerment. His pre‑sentencing hearing is set for 23 January 2026, and a prison term could cost him his parliamentary seat.

Kolwapi’s case has already been linked to Malema’s by critics, who argue that public officials must be held equally accountable — regardless of party or gender.

Kolwapi, leader of the Ikhwezi Political Movement (IPM), said the backlash reflects discomfort with women occupying visible cultural and political roles. “A woman holding this space — confidently and unapologetically — challenges the assumption that leadership, protection and cultural authority belong to men alone,” she said.

The IPM has stood by her, while coalition partner DA has distanced itself, saying it “does not condone the discharge of firearms in public.”

As police continue their investigation, Kolwapi faces potential charges under the Firearms Control Act — which carries penalties of up to 15 years’ imprisonment for unlawful discharge in a built‑up area.

The outcome could set a precedent for how South African authorities treat similar incidents involving public figures — and whether cultural tradition can justify actions that endanger public safety.