Illustrative image: Comedian Anton Taylor, who made a satirical video of Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who was placed on special leave with immediate effect in July, says he's just warming up. He vows to double down, promising that the real punchlines are still loading. (Photos: Supplied) | Senzo Mchunu. (Photo: Phando Jikelo / RSA Parliament) 
Anton Taylor says the satirical video – the video which landed him in hot water with the Hawks – he made about Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, who was placed on special leave with immediate effect by President Cyril Ramaphosa in July, was merely a teaser.
The best, he promised, is still to come. So brace yourself for another round guaranteed to tickle the laugh muscles.
On Friday, 29 August 2025, News24’s Karyn Maughan reported that in June this year (coincidentally when Parliament heard details about the Hawks being understaffed), the Hawks raided Taylor’s Cape Town home.
His cellphone was seized for a fortnight as part of the Hawks investigation.
The raid was sparked by a satirical skit he posted to social media on 29 March in which he talks about policing matters and “bribing” the official police minister at the time, Senzo Mchunu.
Mchunu, though, had lodged a criminal complaint over the social media post – he told News24 that he found the skit “extremely cruel” and “insulting”, and that the raid that followed did not equate to an abuse of power on his part.
News24’s report on Friday said that it was ultimately decided that Taylor would not be prosecuted for alleged Cybercrimes Act violations.
Read more: No joke – SA’s understaffed ‘terror crime’ unit raided satirist’s home over Mchunu bribe skit
Now that the dust has settled, and with the Hawks confirming on Tuesday, 12 August, that they will not prosecute, Daily Maverick thought it fitting to share a laugh about the whole saga with Taylor.
These were Taylor’s responses to questions put directly to him.
What was the motivation behind the satirical video?
“I did it because I make satirical videos. I respond to whatever’s happening at the time. I was following Twitter, and the video was in response to reports that Mchunu had told the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) to launch an investigation in March into KZN Police Commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
“It was very short-lived and then a few days later, Ipid released a statement saying, no, it was not Mchunu who launched it. I just thought, ‘Oh, this would be funny to do,’ but also because Mkhwanazi is so beloved, and he seems to be very against corruption. It almost seemed like it was only a matter of time before somebody tried to dig up dirt on him or do something against him.”
Was there any malice in your intentions?
“Honestly, I really didn’t think what I said about Mchunu was serious; it was clearly a joke. So, when the Hawks raided my place, I was honestly thinking what could have been, and I thought it might be somewhat related to my social media.
“But never would I have thought it was because of what I said about Mchunu. Honestly, even the Hawks captain told me that Mchunu wasn’t happy with some of my videos.
“I really didn’t think it was what I said about him; it seemed so innocuous compared to some of the other things I’ve done.”
Has anyone ever reacted like this to your satirical videos before?
“Absolutely yes. Look, I made some videos satirising the ‘refugees’ of South Africa that went to America. I just got backlash in messages and stuff like that, but no public figure has ever responded to me.
“I’ve gone after politicians before, and my thinking has always been that politicians are public figures and fair game. I really didn’t think that Mchunu would be so thin-skinned; I just can’t believe it.”
Are you perturbed by the Mchunu saga, and will it deter you?
“Not at all. It was very overwhelming when the news broke on Friday, mainly because I had never received so many messages and calls of support.
“I’m absolutely not going to be deterred. In fact, the only thing that is going to happen is that I’ll be even more motivated to push on.”
What do you make of Mchunu’s claim that he truly believed you were a journalist?
“Mchunu’s claim that he honestly thought I was a journalist just doesn’t add up. If he really took my story at face value, why wasn’t he concerned about the parts where I said I was involved in organised crime, cash-in-transit heists and drugs?
“He chose to latch on to one or two lines about bribing him, which makes no sense. I don’t believe he actually thought I was a journalist. More likely, he didn’t like what I said — especially since in my video I predicted that Mkhwanazi would come for him after going after the criminals.
“I suspect he may have wondered if I had inside information, which could explain why he used the cellphone mast to try to trace my location.”
Can you tell us what the police told you? Did they also think you had a case to answer?
“The police were sheepish and embarrassed. They gave me a strong impression that I had no case to answer. It was clear they were simply acting on instructions and believed there was no merit in the matter.”
What does it say about the state of policing when satirists are pursued, yet so many murder and corruption cases remain unresolved?
“It’s an absolute indictment on South Africa that satirists are targeted while countless crimes remain unsolved. We’ve all seen the evidence of criminality and corruption — from the Zondo Commission to the irregular tenders that outlets such as Daily Maverick report on almost daily.
“These crimes are happening in plain sight, yet the minister of police chose to target me. That, in itself, is an indictment on him, and under no circumstances should he be allowed to remain in his position.”
What role does satire play in South Africa, given the serious challenges of service delivery, corruption, crime and inequality?
“Satire plays an incredibly important role in South Africa. We have a strong civic community, but the reality is that many state organs responsible for service delivery and prosecuting corruption simply don’t function as they should. Satire gives people a sense that something is being done, while also allowing us to laugh at our circumstances.
“That ability to joke about our challenges is deeply South African; it’s a healthy coping mechanism that helps us to move forward, while also ‘poking the bear’.”
Is satire under threat in this age of outrage and social media?
“No, I don’t believe so. My case was isolated. Of course, in different countries there’s often backlash, and people talk about the fear of being cancelled — but this wasn’t that. This was someone from the state. If anything, it raises the question of whether satire is under threat, but my intention is to keep going after Mchunu — harder and harder.”
Can we expect a follow-up?
“I’m gonna make sure there is content coming from this for a very long time. Now that the prosecutors declined to prosecute, I’m kind of embarking on a ‘revenge tour’.
“I’m going to make a lot of content about it and see how far I can push it. If Mchunu didn’t like what I said about him in the video in March, he certainly won’t like what I’m going to say about him the next few days and weeks.
“I’m doubling down, and the real punchlines are still loading.” DM