Ngizwe Mchunu held a media briefing at Umhlanga, Durban. He issued a statement on his online social media page Ngizwe Online saying “South Africa in a spirit of Ubuntu and Unity of the people of KZN. I am withdrawing the case against the premier of Kwa Zulu Natal. I have arrived at that decision after engagements with traditional and faith-based leaders. we will go together to the police station with the Premier and withdraw the charges we opened against each other on the Date: 14 June 2022, Venue: Durban Central” the statement said

This comes after he and the premier, Zikalala, had opened cases against each other for their public altercations.  Zikalala laid charges of assault and crime injuria against Mchunu at the Durban Central police station on Sunday afternoon following a fracas between the two at the Ingoma Kazwelonke competition at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on the 4 June 2022.  They allegedly had a go at each other on Saturday of the 4th of June in one of the VVIP marquees during the Ingoma Kazwelonke Festival in a statement released on Sunday, the provincial government said there had been a series of recent episodes during which Mchunu allegedly hurled invectives at Zikalala without justification or provocation.

The KwaZulu-Natal provincial government said in a statement that there had been a sequence of insults and provocations by Mchunu aimed at Zikalala. “In continuation of this widely publicised mode of attack on the premier, Mr. Mchunu escalated this when he came over to the exclusive area where the premier was seated and started hurling insults at the premier. With the aid of security personnel, the premier had to leave the event,” read the statement.

Speaking to the SABC, Mchunu said he was called by Zikalala, who was sitting with other dignitaries. In his mind, said Mchunu, he thought Zikalala wanted to take a picture with him or just to have a casual chat. “When I knelt down as a sign of respect, he asked me one question and said Wangfunani wena? [what do you want from me?].” Mchunu said he was taken back by the question, so he looked at Zikalala and when he was about to respond, “he hit me in front of everyone”. On a Monday after the event, Mchunu opened a counter case against the premier saying because of his asthma he could have died as a result of the Premier’s attack.

The Premier has not responded to the recent changes of the event regarding the cases and it is still uncertain whether these changes are mutual or not.