More questions over Kunene's presence at the house of the suspect

Who is the journalist Kenny Kunene says he was escorting? Which media house do they belong to? And why were they meeting a murder suspect behind closed doors with a sitting MMC present?

These are the urgent questions facing both political and media circles following revelations that Kunene, deputy president of the Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Johannesburg MMC for Transport, was present at the home of Katiso “KT” Molefe, the man now under arrest in connection with the 2022 assassination of musician Oupa “DJ Sumbody” Sefoka.

On Tuesday evening, PA leader Gayton McKenzie took decisive action by suspending Kunene from the party and announcing plans to remove him as MMC. He said this would allow an independent investigation to proceed without political interference. “Kenny Kunene will be investigated by lawyers of good character,” McKenzie said during a live broadcast.

“I will be writing to the Johannesburg Council to remove him from his MMC duties. He will also step back from politics for one month. This is the hardest decision I’ve made.”Kunene has acknowledged being at Molefe’s Sandton residence when police carried out the arrest on Monday.

Speaking to a TV channel, he claimed he was accompanying a young journalist from his own media company, hoping to help them land an exclusive interview with Molefe about the murder case. “These are young journalists,” Kunene said. “This would’ve been a great exclusive for them. It was a matter of being at the wrong place at the wrong time.”

However, Kunene has not named the journalist, nor has he disclosed which media outlet they were working for. No interview footage has surfaced. No article has been published. No public statement has been made by the mystery reporter, raising serious doubts about whether any legitimate journalistic activity was taking place.

The lack of transparency has drawn strong criticism from political rivals and civil society. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for Kunene’s immediate resignation, saying his version of events is implausible and his position as MMC is no longer tenable.“The explanation offered is laughable,” said Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, the DA’s Johannesburg caucus leader.

“It is unacceptable that a senior city official was found at the home of a murder suspect. There are no circumstances under which this conduct is excusable.”

She continued: “If Mr Kunene was genuinely assisting a journalist, where is the journalist? Where is the content? The people of Johannesburg deserve honest leadership, not secrecy and political theatre.”

Molefe, who is facing charges linked to DJ Sumbody’s fatal shooting in Woodmead in November 2022, is expected to appear in court later this week.

The attack left two people dead and another injured, and it shocked the entertainment world and public alike.McKenzie has maintained that he believes in Kunene’s innocence but stressed that belief is not enough.“I believe him 100%,” McKenzie said.

“But I can’t expect the whole country to. That’s why we are launching this investigation, and we will be transparent with the findings.”

Political analysts have also weighed in, pointing to the unusual nature of a politician introducing a reporter to a suspect wanted in a high-profile crime.