Durban businessman Calvin Mathibeli has complied with a court ruling by removing defamatory posts about KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi from his Facebook account. This comes after the Durban High Court dismissed his application for leave to appeal an earlier judgment delivered on February 27, 2026, in which the court ordered Mathibeli to remove defamatory statements he had published about Mkhwanazi across social media platforms, websites, and other digital media.
According to a letter from his lawyers, Mathibeli has deleted all messages and comments about Mkhwanazi from his Facebook account, as ordered by the court. However, the letter also stated that Mathibeli is not in control of a TV broadcast that featured the defamatory statements and therefore cannot retract them unless invited for another interview by the broadcaster.
Background to the Case
The case against Mathibeli began when he made defamatory posts about Mkhwanazi on social media, which led to the police commissioner taking legal action against him. The court initially ruled in favor of Mkhwanazi, ordering Mathibeli to remove the defamatory posts and refrain from making any further statements about him.
Mathibeli’s lawyers have confirmed that he will comply with the court order and refrain from making any further posts about Mkhwanazi on social media. This is not Mathibeli’s first defeat in court, as he recently had an urgent application to interdict the South African Police Service (SAPS) from conducting a firearms compliance inspection at his company premises dismissed by the Durban High Court.
Firearms Compliance Inspection
The application was dismissed with costs, and Mathibeli was ordered to pay the legal costs to SAPS. The inspection was scheduled to take place on March 19, 2026, as part of Operation Buyisa, a SAPS initiative aimed at ensuring compliance with firearms regulations.
Mathibeli’s company, Calvin and Family Security Services, is a security services provider based in Durban North. The company has been in the news recently due to Mathibeli’s legal battles with the SAPS.
As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen what further action will be taken against Mathibeli. In the meantime, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development has emphasized the importance of respecting the rule of law and adhering to court orders.
- Mathibeli has removed defamatory posts about Mkhwanazi from his Facebook account.
- The Durban High Court dismissed Mathibeli’s application for leave to appeal an earlier judgment.
- Mathibeli was ordered to pay legal costs to SAPS after his urgent application was dismissed.
