By Celani Sikhakhane
An event planned for Amabhinca on Saturday was an epic failure, after the group discovered that their leader Ngizwe Mchunu had lured them to a political event under false pretences.
The group thought that they were attending Imbizo yamaBhinca, a gathering where different maskandi artists would be performing at the People’s Park in Durban. But it was a ploy to make sure that they did not attend the Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) Party “People’s Mandate” manifesto launch in Orlando on Saturday.
Sakhiseni Mathonsi from Dalton Hostel said that they arrived at 10am to attend the Imbizo yamaBhinca but they were shocked when a new poster was circulating on social media with the faces of Mchunu and ANC leaders.
“We were very angry because we thought we would have a good time and sing along with our favourite artists. But when a poster emerged with the faces of ANC leaders alongside Mchunu we decided not to proceed. We chose to spend time at the Workshop until we went back home. How can you mislead people in this manner while you know very well that you are organising a political gathering. I don’t think I’ll ever trust Mchunu again,” said Mathonsi.
Another Bhinca, Thandekile Mpungose from KK Hostel in Clermont, west of Durban, said that they lost interest the minute they saw Mchunu’s pictures with President Cyril Ramaphosa and realised the event was planned to disrupt former president Jacob Zuma’s launch.
“We don’t entertain politics as AmaBhinca. We love Maskandi music with all of our hearts. Therefore to organise an event knowing very well that you want it to be a political platform, we are out. Mchunu must not fight Zuma using our platform,” said Mpungose.
ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula had already announced the Imbizo yamaBhinca and revealed that Ramaphosa would pass by to address the event.
The event was unsuccessful as many people decided to go back home and others got drunk. Mchunu told the crowd that managed to pitch up at around 6pm that the event was not planned to disrespect Zuma.
He said he still respects Zuma as his father.
ANC leaders who were behind the plot told Scrolla.Africa that Mchunu’s event left them reeling after failing dismally to serve the purpose of blocking people from going to the MK party’s manifesto launch in Gauteng.
“We overrated this guy and we had hoped, as he promised, that no one from the Bhinca nation would go to Orlando. But for myself I almost had a heart attack because what we said to President Ramaphosa about Mchunu didn’t happen,” says a leader who didn’t want to be named.
Pictured above: Some of Amabhinca who chose to stay at the Workshop in Durban after being angered by Ngizwe Mchunu.
Image source: Supplied
