A company that has received more than R100m as part of the controversial R1.8bn chemical toilets tender in the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has launched an urgent court bid against News24 and its journalists in their personal capacities.

Aubrey Moliwa, the director of Theuwedi Trading Enterprise, asked the court to interdict News24 from publishing any statement that implied he had anything to do with the murder of senior forensic auditor, Mpho Mafole, in yet another attempt to gag its investigative journalists.

News24’s legal representatives said the litigation carried an ‘unmistakable chilling effect on press freedom’.

The case will be heard in the Gauteng High Court (Johannesburg) today.

This is the second attempt to suppress News24’s investigation, titled ‘Hunted’, into Mafole’s killing.

Theuwedi is one of 15 contractors appointed under the R1.8bn chemical toilets programme. 

In 2022, the municipality appointed Theuwedi as a service provider for the hiring, delivery and maintenance of chemical toilets.

The municipality again appointed the company on 30 June 2025 – the same day Mafole was murdered – for the same services. 

News24 reported that the municipality paid the company more than R100m for the contracts, which was the last to be probed by Mafole before his death.

Full News24 report