Controversial in life, controversial in death. John Mchunu’s death yesterday was met with shock by some, while others hoped it would usher in a new era in local government politics. Mchunu, who turned 46 last month, was admitted to hospital with pneumonia just before the ANC’s national general council in Durban last month. It is unknown who will take over from Mchunu, chairman of the ANC’s biggest and most powerful region in KwaZulu-Natal, but James Nxumalo, Speaker in the council, is apparently being considered.
ANC leader Cyril Xaba, who was appointed family spokesman, said his death came as a shock because they had assumed he would “pull through”. Mchunu, originally from Impendle, was married to sisters Nonkululeko and Nompumelelo Zondi, and leaves behind six children. Yesterday, family and friends converged on his mansion in Fyfe Road, Westville. Deputy mayor Logie Naidoo expressed his condolences to the family.
The ANC said Mchunu was instrumental in mobilising for the party after its unbanning in 1990 and was known for his outstanding organising skills. Provincial secretary Sihle Zikalala said Mchunu’s departure was a loss to the party and all South Africans. Opposition parties said while they were sad that the ANC and Mchunu’s family had suffered a loss, his death might just be the impetus the municipality needed to start afresh. Cope’s Hlengiwe Hlophe accused him of having been “antagonistic” towards political freedom in the region and said the party hoped that a new era of tolerance and co-operation between political parties could begin.
“There is the matter of the very expensive elephant statues that cost a lot of taxpayers’ money, but quietly disappeared after Mchunu complained about them. This is political intolerance at its most ridiculous. Who will foot the bill for this fruitless and wasteful expenditure? There are also many questions about Mchunu benefiting from city tenders – what will now happen to those allegations? Are they going to be investigated?” she asked.
The DA’s Tex Collins said Mchunu’s influence over municipal manager Michael Sutcliffe and the ANC in the council had been “infinitely greater than it should have been”. Minority Front leader Amichand Rajbansi said while Mchunu had had a great career ahead of him, he had managed to destroy inter-race relations in the city.
Those close to the one-time shop steward were worried that his death would highlight racial tensions within the ANC in the municipality, which was divided between an Africanist camp, on one hand, and whites and Indians on the other.
A memorial service is to be held at the Durban City Hall at 4pm tomorrow and the funeral at Clermont’s Sugar Ray Xulu stadium at 10am on Sunday. Mchunu, an MPL, served as the chairman of the sport and recreation portfolio committee and also as an alternate member of the premier and royal household committee in the legislature.
Source: IoL
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