Pressure is mounting on music executive Nhlamulo “Nota” Baloyi and radio personality Ngwize Mchunu following widespread public outrage over racist remarks the pair made targeting South Africa’s Indian community. The video, which was widely shared across social media platforms before being removed, has been reported for promoting hate speech — and community leaders, religious organisations, and members of Parliament are now demanding serious consequences.
The backlash has been swift and broad. Prince Ishwar Ramlutchman Mabheka Zulu, founder of the Sivananda World Peace Foundation, was among the first prominent voices to condemn the remarks publicly. He argued that racism directly undermines the spirit of Ubuntu — the philosophy of shared humanity that South Africa’s social fabric is meant to be built upon. “South Africa is built on the strength of its diversity of Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Indian, Coloured, white, and all who call this land home,” he said. “To attack any one community is to attack the very fabric of our nation.”
Prince Ramlutchman’s message was unambiguous: prejudice and hatred cannot be allowed to take root while South Africans claim to value peace and togetherness. He called on leaders, communities, and ordinary citizens alike to actively reject racism and choose dialogue and understanding instead. His words carried weight, and they echoed a sentiment shared by many who watched the video circulate online with growing alarm.
Nota Baloyi and Ngwize Mchunu face calls to be charged under South Africa’s Hate Speech Act
On the parliamentary front, ANC MP Imraan Subrathie moved quickly, lodging a formal complaint with the Film and Publications Board (FPB). The response was remarkably fast. “Within 24 hours of me reporting the matter to the board, I received confirmation that a take-down notice was issued,” Subrathie told our team. The FPB also issued a public notice warning South Africans about the serious legal implications of creating and sharing content that incites harm.
Subrathie made it clear this would not end with a take-down notice. He confirmed he intends to escalate the matter to Parliament and other constitutional oversight bodies, insisting the incident deserves to be handled with the full weight of the law. His determination signals that this controversy is far from over for Baloyi and Mchunu.
Perhaps the most pointed response came from Ram Maharaj, president of the South African Hindu Dharma Sabha, whose organisation received numerous complaints from community members following the podcast’s release. Maharaj confirmed that his organisation has written to the South African Human Rights Commission, calling on it to approach the Equality Court to formally charge both individuals. He described the podcast as a “rabid racist rant” and stated plainly that a removal of the content or a half-hearted apology would not be sufficient given the gravity of what was said.
Maharaj specifically cited the Prevention and Combating of Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Act No 16 of 2023, signed into law by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2024, arguing that Mchunu’s language constitutes a direct violation of the legislation. He stressed that the use of a particular racial slur — the deeply offensive term targeting Indian people — was not accidental but reflected a deliberate intent to humiliate and harm an entire community.
The broader historical context was not lost on Maharaj either. He reminded South Africans that the country’s Indian community descends from indentured labourers who arrived under brutal, near-slave conditions, and who — despite those hardships — went on to contribute immensely to South Africa’s development across generations. “To distort or deny this legacy is to deny the truth itself,” he said.
What this episode ultimately lays bare is that hate speech in South Africa carries real and escalating legal consequences — and communities are no longer prepared to simply absorb the damage quietly. With Parliament, the Human Rights Commission, and the Film and Publications Board now all in the picture, Baloyi and Mchunu face potentially serious legal and reputational repercussions that a deleted video alone cannot undo.