High court orders removal of defamatory posts of Minister Nomakhosazana Meth

In an urgent and precedent-setting decision, the Eastern Cape division of the High Court in Mthatha earlier this month ordered the immediate removal of defamatory statements posted on Facebook by Nelitha Diko about Minister of Employment and Labour Nomakhosazana Meth.

- By Setumo Stone

Central to the ruling, delivered on July 1, 2025, are the shocking accusations shared by Diko, which include details of a sexual nature allegedly involving two women who worked closely together and lived in the same house for approximately four to five years.

The matter, which Meth brought before the court as a matter of urgency, was overseen by Justice Buyiswa Majiki, who dispensed with standard procedural rules in recognition of the case's immediate importance.

The court found that statements published by Diko on June 20, at 19:03, along with subsequent posts across her Facebook account, were defamatory and damaging to Meth's reputation.