The Johannesburg high court sitting as the Equality Court has found media personality and traditional healer Ngizwe Mchunu guilty of hate speech, harassment and unfair discrimination against LGBTQ people.
In a judgment handed down on Friday, the court ordered Mchunu to issue a public apology, undergo human rights training and pay R250,000 to support organisations working to promote equality and prevent hate crimes.
He must also pay the legal costs of transgender rights organisation TransHope, the Hate Crimes Working Group and the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC).
The case follows a series of videos and a flyer published by Mchunu on Facebook between September 30 2025 and October 6 2025.
Judge Gregory Wright found that the material constituted hate speech, harassment and unfair discrimination in contravention of the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act.
The court also found that a march led by Mchunu to the Kwa Mai Mai traditional market in Johannesburg on October 5 2025 amounted to harassment and unfair discrimination against gay and lesbian people.
As part of the order, Mchunu is permanently prohibited from publishing content that directly or indirectly discriminates against LGBTQ people and from organising or participating in demonstrations that promote such discrimination.
Mchunu was ordered to publish an unconditional apology on his Facebook page within five days and keep it pinned as the top post for three months.
The court further directed him to pay R250,000 within 60 days to either TransHope or the Hate Crimes Working Group to support education, sensitisation, social cohesion and the prevention of hate crimes, particularly in rural communities.
Mchunu must also complete 20 hours of human rights sensitisation training conducted by the SAHRC or an institution nominated by it within 120 days and pay the complainants’ legal costs.
The judgment noted that Mchunu did not file opposing papers or participate in the proceedings despite being given opportunities to do so.
Welcoming the ruling, the SAHRC said it was a strong affirmation that hate speech and discriminatory conduct against vulnerable and historically marginalised communities would not be tolerated in South Africa’s constitutional democracy.
The commission said the judgment reinforced the constitutional values of dignity, equality and freedom from discrimination and praised the court’s use of both corrective and restorative remedies aimed at promoting accountability and social cohesion.
The commission had, prior to the court proceeding, asked Mchunu to retract the remarks, which he refused to do.
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