Mduduzi Myeza, mayor of the Inkosi Langalibalele municipality in KwaZulu‑Natal, returned to the KwaZulu‑Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg on Thursday as he seeks to lift an interdict that prevents him from posting what a judge found to be hateful or inflammatory comments about foreign nationals.
What the court order says
The order, handed down in May, required the mayor to remove comments from his social media accounts after a court found the material could incite violence and was inflammatory. The interdict has since been extended indefinitely because outstanding issues in the matter were not resolved during Thursday’s hearing.
Addressing supporters gathered outside the Pietermaritzburg court, Myeza reiterated his stance, saying he was only exercising his right to free speech. He told the crowd he remained of the view that undocumented migrants should leave the country.
"I am still standing by what I said, that all undocumented people in the country must go,"
The mayor’s legal representative, Xolani Zuma, argued that the statements do not amount to hate speech or xenophobia. Zuma said the mayor was communicating his duty to ensure that laws are respected within his municipality.
Local impact and tensions
The court’s earlier finding came after a spate of incidents in Estcourt, where several foreign‑owned shops were attacked and looted within a day of the initial court order. Those attacks were cited in the court process as evidence that inflammatory public comments can have immediate and violent consequences.
While the mayor and his lawyer dispute any link between the comments and the attacks, the court concluded that the postings could inflame tensions. The extension of the interdict means Myeza remains barred from publishing similar material on his social media channels until the matter is finally adjudicated.
What happens next
Arguments were not heard on Thursday because of unresolved procedural matters; the interdict therefore remains in place for the time being. The High Court will need to schedule further proceedings to determine whether the injunction should be lifted or confirmed.
Residents and business owners in Estcourt and surrounding areas have been watching the case closely. The interplay between freedom of expression and public safety is central to the dispute: the court must weigh a public representative’s rights against the potential for speech to prompt violence or hatred.
- May — High Court ordered the mayor to remove social media comments deemed inflammatory.
- Shortly after — Several foreign-owned shops in Estcourt were attacked and looted.
- This week — Mayor returned to Pietermaritzburg High Court seeking to have the interdict lifted; it was extended indefinitely pending further hearings.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Court order to remove comments | May (this year) |
| Attacks on foreign-owned shops in Estcourt | A day after the May order |
| Latest court appearance in Pietermaritzburg | This week |
The case highlights broader tensions in parts of KwaZulu‑Natal over immigration, the responsibilities of municipal leaders and how the law defines and responds to hate speech. The indefinite extension of the interdict keeps a legal restraint on the mayor’s public comments while the High Court considers outstanding legal questions.
For residents and businesses in Estcourt, the legal process will be watched not only for its implications for Myeza’s political rights, but also for the message it sends about accountability when public speech appears to correlate with outbreaks of violence.
The court has yet to announce a date for the continuation of arguments on whether the interdict should be lifted.
