New footage emerges in deputy mayor of popular South African tourist town gun-firing controversy

A new video has surfaced showing Bitou Municipality Deputy Mayor Nokuzola Kolwapi allegedly handing a firearm to her bodyguard after discharging it during a cultural celebration over the weekend.

The fresh footage, posted online by members of the public, captures the moment after Kolwapi is seen firing shots into the air.

It shows her passing the weapon to a man identified as a law enforcement official assigned as her protector and driver.

The incident occurred in KwaNokuthula township outside Plettenberg Bay during a traditional homecoming ceremony (umgidi) marking her son’s return from initiation school.

Initial videos, widely shared on social media, depicted Kolwapi celebrating by shooting what appeared to be a handgun multiple times while surrounded by a crowd, including children.

In response to the backlash, Kolwapi issued a statement denying the presence of a real firearm, insisting the object was a “toy gun” or replica.

Kolwapi, leader of the Ikhwezi Political Movement, described the event as part of a sacred Xhosa cultural ritual and claimed that the controversy had been politicised.

Bitou Municipality spokesperson Andile Namntu confirmed to the SABC that the individual receiving the gun in the new video is a municipal law enforcement officer who serves as Kolwapi’s designated protector and driver.

Namntu added that this latest development will be incorporated into the municipality’s ongoing detailed internal investigation.

The municipality has emphasised its commitment to accountability and cooperation with authorities.

Meanwhile, police have opened cases following complaints from two members of the public.

Charges include pointing a firearm in public and discharging a firearm within a municipal area.The saga has drawn widespread condemnation from political parties, gun control groups, and civic organisations, with calls for Kolwapi’s suspension or removal pending the outcome of investigations.

Several videos of the event continue to circulate online, fuelling public debate over the appropriateness of such actions by a public official.