On 16 October 2017, Daphne Galizia, Malta’s top investigative journalist, was assassinated when a car bomb planted under her seat exploded. Her work focused on corruption and organised crime, and she was facing more than 40 civil defamation lawsuits and five criminal defamation cases at the time of her death. Most of these were brought by Maltese government officials and businessmen. Continue reading
The International Forum for Responsible Media Blog
Category: South Africa (Page 1 of 6)
South Africa: Defamation and vindication, the Supreme Court of Appeal’s flawed approach – Dario Milo
In the past year or so, the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) handed down judgment in two defamation appeals that have an impact on how plaintiffs obtain remedies to vindicate their reputation. Both of these cases were appeals from defamation cases brought through the procedure of an application or motion (where evidence is given through affidavits) as opposed to the procedure of a trial (where evidence is given through oral evidence). Continue reading
On 9 February 2021, in a groundbreaking judgment in the case of Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd v Reddell [2021] ZAWCHC 22, Deputy Judge President Patricia Goliath of the Western Cape High Court recognised that defendants may in principle raise a SLAPP defence in defamation cases. Continue reading
On 4 February 2021, the Constitutional Court handed down its decision in the case of AmaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism NPC v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services [2021] ZACC 3. This has already received worldwide acclaim. It found in favour of amaBhungane, the investigative journalism organisation, in a landmark case involving the collision between the right to privacy and the right of the state to engage in surveillance. Continue reading
The Supreme Court of Appeal handed down a significant (and lengthy) judgment on defamation law on 17 December 2020, in the defamation case brought by Trevor Manuel against the Economic Freedom Fighters ([2020] ZASCA 172). Continue reading
This is the sixth instalment in a regular new series from Inforrm highlighting press and case reports of new media and information cases from around the world. It is intended to complement our United States: Monthly Round Up posts. Please let us know if there are other cases and jurisdictions which we should be covering. Continue reading
As Covid-19 infections spread rapidly around the globe and governments everywhere scramble to limit infections, fake news about the disease on social networks has become a major problem. There have even been some arrests – in India, Hungary and Kenya – of people who have spread fake news about Covid-19, using existing local laws. Continue reading
The South African High Court judgment in the case of amaBhungane Centre for Investigative Journalism v Minister of Justice and Correctional Services [2019] ZAGPPHC 384 is a victory for privacy rights. Continue reading
On 21 August 2019, Phineas Mojapelo, the Deputy Judge President of the South Gauteng Division of the High Court in the case of, Nelson Mandela Foundation Trusts v Afriforum NPC ([2019] ZAEQC 2) ruled that the display of the pre-1994 South African flag – the apartheid flag – constitutes hate speech. Continue reading
The South African judiciary is once more centre stage in the political drama unfolding around the battle for supremacy within the governing African National Congress (“ANC”). Continue reading
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