Ngizwe Mchunu loses hate speech case, ordered to apologise and pay R250,000

Ngizwe Mchunu faces the Equality Court ruling for hate speech against the LGBTQIA+ community.

The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) has welcomed a Johannesburg High Court sitting as an Equality Court ruling against public figure Ngizwe Mchunu, in a case involving hate speech, harassment, and unfair discrimination targeting LGBTQIA+ people.

The Commission, alongside TransHope and the Hate Crimes Working Group represented by Lawyers for Human Rights, confirmed the outcome of proceedings which found that Mchunu’s conduct and publications violated South Africa’s equality legislation.

The SAHRC said it had initially attempted to resolve the matter outside court, but those efforts failed.

The Commission had “sought to resolve the matter directly with Mchunu demanding amongst others that he ceases publishing or promoting content amounting to hate speech or discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Asexual/Aromantic (LGBTQIA+) persons, to remove all offending material from his platforms within 24 hours, and to issue a public retraction and apology acknowledging the harm caused.”