The Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) has thrown out Ekurhuleni Mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza’s urgent bid to gag News24 after a series of stories revealing his links to the alleged hitman responsible for chief city auditor Mpho Mafole’s murder.

In a ruling handed down on Thursday, Acting Judge Gary Myburgh found the application was, in fact, not urgent and struck it from the roll with costs.

Mafole was gunned down in Kempton Park in June last year.

The publication subsequently reported on how Xhakaza may have meddled with the investigation and tried to divert attention away from a R1.8bn mobile chemical toilets tender, which was the subject of a scathing audit report Mafole had submitted just three days before his death. 

The reporting also exposed how Xhakaza was at the scene – and had spent the night – with DJ Bongani Mfihlo when he was killed outside a Kempton Park nightclub in September 2023.

This with Mfilho’s self-confessed killer, Thabani Ntshalintshali, having since been arrested for Mfhilo’s murder, too.

Xhakaza wanted R750 000 in damages, a retraction, and an interdict barring News24 – and journalist Sikonathi Mantshantsha, who was cited personally – ‘from doing any interview or posting statements that say or imply that (Xhakaza) is responsible for the death of the officials of the city, that he refused to co-operate with the police or provide a written statement in relation to the investigation into the murder of Mr Mfihlo'.

However, the publication maintained his case rested on a ‘fundamental mischaracterisation’ of what was said, and that it had ‘never accused (Xhakaza) of being responsible, directly or indirectly, for the murders of either Mafole or Mfhilo’.

Xhakaza was ordered to pay the costs of the application.

Full News24 report