Deputy mayor Nokuzola Kolwapi charged after viral gun incident at homecoming celebration

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Western Cape has charged Bitou Municipality Deputy Executive Mayor Nokuzola “Noksi” Kolwapi, but is yet to confirm when she will appear in court on allegations arising from a viral video showing her firing a gun in public. The charges were authorised by the Director of Public Prosecutions on March 5, and both Kolwapi and the complainant have been notified, though the Plettenberg Bay Magistrate’s Court is still awaiting the docket. This follows a viral video from December 2025, showing Kolwapi allegedly brandishing a 9 mm firearm and firing multiple shots into the air while dancing at her son’s homecoming celebration after an initiation ritual in KwaNokuthula.

In a separate clip, she is seen handing what is believed to the weapon to her bodyguard as onlookers continued to gather and celebrate around her. ActionSA’s Garden Route chairperson, Patrick Fepiwe, welcomed the decision to criminally pursue the deputy mayor, stating that it underscores that no one is above the law and reflects a need for transparent governance. “Well, as ActionSA, we welcome this decision taken by DPP because this decision suggests that no one in SA is above the law.

As Action SA, we are very clear, we are advocating for clear and transparent government, and this speaks clearly to our pillars as Action SA.” Kolwapi, however, has maintained that the object seen in the footage was not a real firearm. In a previous statement, she insisted it was a “replica (toy‑gun)” and sought to contextualise the incident within broader societal challenges. While the NPA has yet to set a court date, the charges relate to contraventions of the Firearms Control Act and the alleged negligent handling and discharging of a weapon in a public place.