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Kenny Kunene Resigns After Murder Suspect Visit Sparks Outrage

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1 month ago

July 28, 2025

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From Sushi King to Suspended Politician, What’s Next for Kenny Kunene?

Johannesburg’s political landscape has been rocked again, this time by the sudden resignation of flamboyant Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader and former Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Transport, Kenny Kunene. The resignation follows his entanglement in a murder investigation, not as a suspect, but for simply being in the wrong place at a very wrong time.

And now, South Africans are asking: has the Sushi King served his final political course?

A Visit That Sparked a Firestorm

The trouble began when Kunene was found at the home of a man arrested in connection with the murder of popular artist DJ Sumbody, whose real name was Oupa Sefoka. It didn’t take long for whispers to swirl across social media and in political circles, questioning why a senior city official would be anywhere near a murder suspect.

Kunene claimed he was merely accompanying a journalist who wanted to profile the businessman now facing murder charges. But many weren’t buying it.

“Why would a politician accompany a journalist to a murder suspect’s home? It doesn’t add up,” political analyst Ntsikelelo Breakfast told The Citizen. “That alone casts serious doubt on his judgment.”

Suspension, Then Resignation

Patriotic Alliance leader Gayton McKenzie moved quickly, suspending Kunene and initiating an internal investigation. Within days, Kunene voluntarily stepped aside from his MMC duties and resigned from his position entirely.

McKenzie tried to frame it as a responsible move. “Until he is fully cleared, he has agreed to step aside,” he said.

Reputation expert Tshepo Matseba agrees that stepping down was the right call. “It signals accountability, but the damage to public trust may already be done,” he said.

Could This Be the End for Kenny?

To many, the scandal feels like a final act in the Kenny Kunene saga, a former convict turned businessman, turned politician, now sidelined by scandal.

But analyst Goodenough Mashego isn’t convinced it’s curtains just yet.

“Kunene is a political creation of Gayton McKenzie. Don’t be shocked if he resurfaces in parliament or another PA structure,” said Mashego.

And honestly, in South African politics, few stories ever really end. They just get rewritten.

DA Smells Blood, Wants Contracts Investigated

The Democratic Alliance (DA), never one to miss a political opportunity, has latched onto the scandal, calling for deeper scrutiny into contracts awarded during Kunene’s MMC tenure.

According to Joburg DA Caucus leader Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku, whistle-blowers have reported procurement irregularities at the Johannesburg Roads Agency and the Metropolitan Trading Company.

One red flag? The mysterious termination of a contract to repair Lilian Ngoyi Street, damaged in a gas explosion last year. “There’s more here than just poor judgment,” she hinted.

No Room for Corruption, Say Crime Experts

Security expert Willem Els didn’t mince his words: “Politicians and criminals should never share a table. This sends the wrong message to a country already tired of corruption.”

Els added that being in proximity to an accused murderer, especially one previously mentioned by the KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, casts a long shadow over Kunene’s credibility, regardless of intent.

What Happens Next?

At the time of writing, police have not confirmed whether Kunene is under investigation. He has not responded to media requests for comment.

The scandal, though, is bigger than one man. It has reignited public anger over the blurred lines between power and criminality in South African politics.

For now, Kunene is out, but in the world of SA political theatre, no one is ever truly gone.

Did You Know?
Kenny Kunene once made headlines for throwing parties where sushi was served off models’ bodies, earning him the nickname “The Sushi King.” His political rise was just as dramatic and now, possibly, his fall.