Masuku defeated Dada Morero to become the first woman to lead the Johannesburg region of the ANC.
The New Year has begun on a positive note for the newly elected ANC Johannesburg Regional Chairperson, Loyiso Masuku, after she won an urgent defamation case against her.
The judgment was handed down by the Gauteng Division of the High Court in Johannesburg on 31 December 2025.
Interdict
Masuku, who defeated Dada Morero to become the first woman to lead the Johannesburg region of the ANC, sought an interdict against political analyst and podcast host Phapano Phasha for making defamatory remarks about her in public.
Masuku sought R250 000 in damages.
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Defamation
In a podcast, Phasha stated that Masuku belongs to a so-called “PPE cartel” and suggested that she bought votes to defeat Morero. She was also labelled a “psychopath”.
Masuku’s husband, former Gauteng health MEC Bandile Masuku, and former presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko were linked to a Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement controversy in 2020, following the awarding of a multimillion-rand tender by the provincial health department to Royal Bhaca, a company owned by Diko’s late husband, Thandisizwe Diko.
The ANC later cleared them of wrongdoing.
Judge Mahomed J found Phasha’s statements to be false, defamatory, unlawful, and malicious, and ordered the podcast producer to remove the episode from platforms such as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
“The timing and the platform used show an intention to cause reputational harm.”
Retraction and apology
Judge Mahomed J also ordered Phasha to publish a “clear and unequivocal” retraction and apology within 24 hours, with the same prominence as the original publication, and barred her from repeating the claims about Masuku’s alleged PPE cartel involvement or vote-buying.
The court did not award Masuku R250 000 in damages at this stage, referring the matter to oral evidence to determine the appropriate amount of compensation.
ANC welcomes ruling
The African National Congress (ANC) in the Greater Johannesburg Region welcomed the judgment.
“This judgment is a clear victory for truth, dignity and revolutionary discipline. The era of attacking ANC leaders through gossip, social media hit-jobs and unsubstantiated allegations is over.”
Who is Masuku?
Masuku’s election brought a breath of fresh air to the regional leadership of the ANC, and she now stands a chance of becoming the mayoral candidate for the ANC in next year’s local government elections.
She has held various roles in government, including in the City of Ekurhuleni and the Gauteng government under Premier Nomvula Mokonyane, and is currently the Finance MMC for the City of Johannesburg.
With her election, she could become the first female ANC mayor of Johannesburg.
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