By Johnathan Paoli
Trade union Solidarity has launched legal action against Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, accusing her of defamation over repeated claims that the organisation and its affiliate, are spreading misinformation and committing acts tantamount to treason.
In a formal legal notice served on Ntshavheni, Solidarity CEO Dirk Hermann demanded that the minister withdraw a media statement made on 27 March, in which she alleged that Solidarity and AfriForum had engaged in a “misinformation and disinformation campaign” during their joint visit to the United States.
“This campaign against AfriForum and Solidarity is absurd. It all started on 3 February when the African National Congress issued a press release accusing AfriForum of spreading misinformation, without a shred of evidence. Since then, Solidarity has been dragged into this fabricated narrative,” he said.
The organisation is also seeking an unconditional public apology within seven days, citing serious reputational damage.
Hermann claims that the accusations are part of a broader effort to deflect attention from deteriorating diplomatic relations between South Africa and the US.
The situation escalated further when Ntshavheni, in subsequent public comments on 13 May, referred to Solidarity’s actions as “treasonous” and a threat to national sovereignty.
She also proposed stronger regulation and oversight of civil society organisations, a move Solidarity views as a direct attack on freedom of speech and association.
Hermann said that these unfounded claims go far beyond political rhetoric, carrying legal implications and that because of these statements, law enforcement was now investigating treason charges based entirely on baseless allegations.
Solidarity’s legal filing points out that Ntshavheni failed to provide any evidence for her accusations, yet continued to use them as justification for urging law enforcement action against the union and AfriForum.
He described her actions as reckless and harmful, amounting to a misuse of political power to silence dissent.
Adding to Solidarity’s frustration, several media houses that initially reported negatively on their US visit have since retracted or corrected their statements.
Most recently, on 30 April, the Press Ombudsman ruled against media platform Daily Maverick for publishing misleading claims about the two organisations.
Solidarity argues that the minister’s conduct represents an orchestrated campaign to delegitimise civil organisations that challenge the government.
Hermann said the legal action was about protecting democratic space and preventing the criminalisation of dissent.
He warned that should Ntshavheni fail to meet the demands laid out in the legal notice, Solidarity would pursue further legal action without hesitation.
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