Papa Penny Claims a Shangaan Man was Mistaken for a Nigerian During Violent KuGompo Protests

• Following the violent protest on Monday in KuGompo City (formerly East London), Papa Penny has spoken out in frustration
• The uMkhonto we Sizwe member of parliament reacted to the alleged assault of a man, whom he claims was a South African national and not Nigerian
• The violent protest against the coronation of an Igbo King in the town has divided social media users, with Papa Penny voicing his grievances

uMkhonto we Sizwe MP Papa Penny was left fuming following Monday's violent protests. He claims that his tribe was being provoked in a fight between isiXhosa-speaking people and Nigerians.

Papa Penny claims identity of man assaulted during protest

Various groups, political parties and traditional leaders gathered on Monday, 30 March 2026, to protest the coronation of an Igbo King in KuGompo City. The march became violent, and some cars were torched and stoned.

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During the protest, the chant, “Shangane suka endleleni,” translating to “Shangaan, get out of the way,” angered many people in SA, including the former reality TV star turned politician. In a scathing video, Papa Penny made threats, claiming that his people are being provoked.

"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 shared by @Inqubeko_news, and it was captioned:

"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."

Mzansi offers mixed reactions

Below are some of the views on social media:

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@Vaccinations13 said:

"He is going to lose his parliament seat from MKP if he is insulting Zulu people; he should shut up his mouth."

@BruceNkomati claimed:

"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 stated:

"This one only speaks out here on social media. If I can put Zulus in front of him, he won’t say anything."

@beezzwa warned:

"You guys are playing with fire. Tribalism and Xenophobia are never the solution."

Papa Penny reacts to President Ramaphosa's SONA speech

In a previous report from Briefly News, Papa Penny reacted to Cyril Ramaphosa's speech and likened it to something.

Online users were divided, with some agreeing with his criticism of Ramaphosa, while others weighed in on Papa Penny's English.

Source: Briefly News