- Papa Penny expressed his frustration following the unrest that occurred on Monday in KuGompo City
- The uMkhonto we Sizwe parliamentarian responded to claims of an assault, stating that the victim was a South African and not Nigerian
- The protests against the coronation of an Igbo King have sparked a divided reaction on social media, prompting Papa Penny to share his thoughts
Papa Penny clarifies identity of the injured man
On March 30, 2026, various groups, including political parties and traditional leaders, assembled in KuGompo City to protest the crowning of an Igbo King. Violence erupted as vehicles were set on fire and damaged.
During the protests, chants of “Shangane suka endleleni,” meaning “Shangaan, get out of the way,” generated outrage across South Africa, drawing a response from Papa Penny. In a pointed video, he expressed his discontent, declaring that his people were being instigated.
“The person you hit was from Giyani; he is not Nigerian. You go to the Eastern Cape, but that fight was for the Xhosa people, not the Shangaan. How are we getting involved? One day is one day! You are busy provoking us. Don’t play with my people. I am a Shangaan. If you don’t have any song, shut up and hands off us,” he said.
The video was posted by @Inqubeko_news, which commented:
“Penny Penny, an MK Party MP, says the man who was beaten by March and March members in the Eastern Cape is a Shangaan from Giyani, not a Nigerian. He added that the conflict was between AmaXhosa and Nigerians (not AmaZulu), therefore, there was no need for people from KZN to go and intervene in the Eastern Cape.”
Social media responds with various perspectives
Here are some reactions observed on social media:
@Vaccinations13 stated:
“He is going to lose his parliament seat from MKP if he is insulting Zulu people; he should shut up his mouth.”
@BruceNkomati remarked:
“Every time uneducated, lazy fools use Shangane interchangeably, it means the VaTsonga will feel insulted. I hate this confusion in this country; everyone is confused about identity. You find a Shangane from KZN calling himself Zulu and calling foreigners Shangaan.”
@Mdumela12 noted:
“This one only speaks out here on social media. If I can put Zulus in front of him, he won’t say anything.”
@beezzwa cautioned:
“You guys are playing with fire. Tribalism and Xenophobia are never the solution.”
