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Julius Malema’s defamation case against Kenny Kunene collapses before starting, with costs awarded

Daily Maverick · 🇿🇦 public South Africa · · 1247 words · By Nonkululeko Njilo; Mabatho Marakalla
Legal Dispute Judicial Process Political Reputation
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What to know about Legal Dispute

Following the striking of Julius Malema’s R1-million defamation case against Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene from the court roll, a series of allegations against the EFF leader remain unresolved.

Claims checked 12
Techniques found 2
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center89%
Right11%

9 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

Following the striking of Julius Malema’s R1-million defamation case against Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene from the court roll, a series of allegations against the EFF leader remain unresolved.

Why it matters

These assertions include late-night visits to a secluded farm, the receipt of an R80,000 cash payment inside a Louis Vuitton bag, and an unusually close relationship with an alleged taxi cartel kingpin.

Common ground

Malema and Kunene’s legal teams were due to battle it out in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 9 June, but the matter was struck from the roll after Malema’s legal team failed to comply with the court’s directives.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-09-julius-malemas-defamation-cas…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 12 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 9
schedule Pending 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
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Claim 1: “Malema and Kunene’s legal teams were due to battle it out in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 9 June”
CORROBORATED
Web search results explicitly state the matter was due to be heard in the Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 9 June.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Gayton McKenzie (born 10 March 1974) is a South African politician and businessman, who serves as Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture in the Government of National Unity (GNU) since July 2024. McKenz…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayton_McKenzie
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Patriotic Alliance (PA) is a right-wing political party in South Africa, formed in November 2013 by, among others, Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene. Since 2024, it is a part of the current South A…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriotic_Alliance
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2026 South African municipal elections will be held on 4 November 2026 across South Africa, to elect councils for all district, metropolitan and local municipalities in each of the country's nine …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_South_African_municipal_e…
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “Judge Leonard Twala struck the matter from the roll and ruled that Malema must pay for the costs of Kunene’s legal team”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm Judge Leonard Twala struck the matter from the roll and ordered Malema's team to pay Kunene's legal costs.
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web search NEUTRAL — The Malema Kunene Defamation Case: What Kunene Said on MacG’s Podcast.Twala struck the application from the roll and ordered Malema’s team to pay Kunene’s legal costs on scale B, which represents a me…
https://www.neoscribe.co.za/malema-kunene-defamation-case-st…
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web search NEUTRAL — Judge Leonard Twala also ordered Malema's team to pay Kunene's legal costs, but the matter may be re-enrolled.
https://allafrica.com/stories/202606160145.html
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web search NEUTRAL — Malema’s legal team indicated it intends to re enrol the matter. The pair are already locked in separate litigation after the Equality Court found in August 2025 that Kunene’s repeated references to M…
https://ireportsouthafrica.co.za/2026/06/10/julius-malemas-d…
help
Claim 3: “Witness A... claims cellphone tower data could verify Malema’s travel to the Dinokeng area during 2023 and early 2024”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results regarding cellphone tower data verifying Malema's travel to Dinokeng.
schedule
Claim 4: “the Equality Court, in August 2025, found that Kunene’s repeated references to Malema as a “cockroach” during a 2021 television interview constituted hate speech”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 5: “the defamation case relates to comments made by Kunene during an interview with MacG on Podcast and Chill on 20 February”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm the legal action stems from comments Kunene made during a February 2026 appearance on the 'Podcast and Chill with MacG'.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Kenny Kunene (born 21 October 1970) is a South African businessman, politician, motivational speaker, teacher, activist and convicted criminal. Kunene currently serves as Deputy President of the Patri…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Kunene
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Patriotic Alliance (PA) is a right-wing political party in South Africa, formed in November 2013 by, among others, Gayton McKenzie and Kenny Kunene. Since 2024, it is a part of the current South A…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriotic_Alliance
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — A United Kingdom is a 2016 biographical romantic drama film directed by Amma Asante and written by Guy Hibbert, based on the true-life romance of Seretse Khama, heir to the throne of the Bangwato Trib…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_United_Kingdom
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 6: “Tshepo Molekoa, a man who claims he worked, cooked and lived with Msibi at his Dinokeng property, Uvivi Lodge”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources (including News24 reports) identify Tshepo Molekoa as someone claiming to have witnessed Malema at the Uvivi Lodge farm in Dinokeng.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mar 31, 2026 ... According to News24, Tshepo Molekoa claims he witnessed the EFF leader at the fortified Uvivi Lodge farm in Dinokeng Game Reserve ...
https://www.facebook.com/100082898334912/posts/alleged-big-f…
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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 27, 2026 ... Sibanyoni has reportedly admitted to investigators that he and Mswazi Msibi were sworn enemies. As Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi mentioned in Parliament, ...
https://www.instagram.com/p/DWavt5WFqEE/?hl=en
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web search NEUTRAL — Nov 26, 2025 ... According to a News24 report, Tshepo Molekoa claims in a sworn affidavit that he witnessed Malema visiting the highly secure Uvivi Lodge ...
https://www.tiktok.com/@stiga8402/video/7576976569923570951
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Claim 7: “Mr Molekoa personally counted R80,000 in cash drawn from a black Louis Vuitton bag brought by the applicant [Malema]”
CORROBORATED
Although the 'Evidence for claim 8' section was empty, the 'Evidence for claim 7' section contains a search result from Briefly.co.za stating: 'Molekoa... claimed he was instructed to open and count money contained in a Louis Vuitton bag allegedly brought by Malema, estimating the amount at about R80,000'.
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Claim 8: “Kunene made 10 defamatory statements during the interview, including claims about his alleged dealings with the late taxi boss and alleged “Big Five” cartel leader Jothan “Mswazi” Msibi and his relationship with businessman and alleged cigarette smuggler Adriano Mazzotti”
CORROBORATED
Web search results confirm the lawsuit involves claims regarding Malema's alleged dealings with Jothan 'Mswazi' Msibi and his relationship with Adriano Mazzotti.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Kenny Kunene will not apologise to Julius Malema following a defamation lawsuit over comments made on Podcast and Chill with MacG. Malema claims Kunene’s remarks were racist and defamatory, including …
https://briefly.co.za/south-africa/238365-kenny-kunene-refus…
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web search NEUTRAL — Malema also disputes Kunene’s claims that he left businessman Adriano Mazzotti’s property at night to meet the late taxi boss Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi, who was linked to the so-called “Big Five” cartel.
https://iol.co.za/news/politics/2026-04-09-malema-sues-kunen…
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web search NEUTRAL — Malema’s legal team indicated it intends to re enrol the matter. The pair are already locked in separate litigation after the Equality Court found in August 2025 that Kunene’s repeated references to M…
https://ireportsouthafrica.co.za/2026/06/10/julius-malemas-d…
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Claim 9: “Julius Malema’s R1-million defamation case against Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene was struck from the court roll”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent news sources (Daily Maverick, News24, and other web search results) confirm that Julius Malema's R1-million defamation case against Kenny Kunene was struck from the court roll.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a South African communist and black nationalist political party. It was founded by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Juliu…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Freedom_Fighters
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2026 ... A R1-million lawsuit EFF leader Julius Malema launched against Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene was struck from the roll of ...
https://www.news24.com/southafrica/news/malemas-defamation-c…
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web search NEUTRAL — Jun 9, 2026 ... An administrative blunder by EFF leader Julius Malema's legal team has handed the PA's Kenny Kunene an early courtroom victory after ...
https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-06-09-julius-ma…
+ 1 more evidence source
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Claim 10: “Molekoa says he saw Malema at the farm on at least seven occasions”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm Molekoa's claim that he saw Malema at Uvivi Lodge on at least seven occasions starting from April 2023.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Molekoa told the court he witnessed Malema visiting Msibi at his Uvivi Lodge compound in the Dinokeng Game Reserve in Hammanskraal, Pretoria, on at least seven occasions from April 2023.
https://briefly.co.za/south-africa/238435-r80-000-whisky-lou…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Molekoa alleged he saw Malema at Msibi-linked properties on many occasions, including late at night, and claimed he was instructed to open and count money contained in a Louis Vuitton bag allegedly br…
https://www.sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za/politics/2026-04-14-…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Molekoa claims he witnessed Malema visiting Msibi at his highly secure Uvivi Lodge farm compound in the Dinokeng Game Reserve on at least seven different occasions starting from April 2023.
https://www.celebgossip.co.za/general-news/47692-explosive-a…
schedule
Claim 11: “Malema admitted that his wife rented a home within a cluster of four houses that included Mazzotti’s residence”
PENDING
This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.
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Claim 12: “Malema publicly addressed his relationship with Msibi, conceding that he knew the taxi boss, had met him on several occasions and attended his funeral”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources report that Malema publicly acknowledged knowing Jotham Msibi and attending his funeral in January 2024.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jotham Zanemvula “King Mswazi” Msibi, born 3 June 1961, sometimes written as "Jotham Msibi" (died on 7 January 2024) was a South African taxi-industry ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jothan_Msibi
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web search NEUTRAL — Apr 9, 2026 ... Julius Malema has publicly acknowledged that he knew the late taxi boss Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi through Sandton businessman Ze Nxumalo, stating he ...
https://www.facebook.com/MDNNEWS/posts/julius-malema-has-pub…
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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 20, 2026 ... Malema, along with former Police Minister Bheki Cele and other well-known figures, attended Mswazi's funeral in January 2024. At the time, he ...
https://www.facebook.com/groups/174015046726713/posts/211663…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.