leader of the March and March movement (an anti-illegal-immigration activist group, also linked to the SA First Forum), was contacted on or around 7 October 2026 by News24 investigative journalist Khaya Koko. Koko messaged her via WhatsApp seeking comment on allegations that she and her husband, Xolani Zuma, had received (and continued to receive) approximately R12 million in state/government contracts. The inquiry also touched on a perceived tension between benefiting from state work while her organisations publicly commit to litigating against the government over immigration issues.
She declined a sit-down or direct engagement on the substance. Instead, she posted a screenshot of Koko’s WhatsApp message on Facebook (to her followers), with the caption essentially: “Look at this one trying to distract us with lies…@news24 Go ahead and write whatever you like… Just make sure you will prove it.” The screenshot prominently displayed Koko’s personal cellphone number.
This led to more than 100 threatening and hostile telephone calls and messages directed at Koko. Examples reported include: “I’ll hunt you. And I will find you; I’ll make an example of you,” and messages wishing him death or accusing him of being “bought” to undermine March and March. News24 treated the publication of the number as doxxing that enabled harassment and intimidation intended to chill legitimate journalistic inquiry.
News24 responded by serving Ngobese-Zuma with a lawyer’s letter (letter of demand) around 7–8 October 2026. It required her, within 24 hours, to delete or edit the post (removing the number), call on her followers to obey the law and stop the harassment, apologise, and undertake not to publish the journalist’s personal information again—or face further legal action/court. She later edited the post to blur or crop out the number, but by then the damage (the flood of threats) had already occurred. News24 Editor-in-Chief Adriaan Basson publicly stated that the publication holds her directly responsible for the death threats the journalist received, that they will not leave a stone unturned to uphold the rule of law, and that she is not above the law.
SANEF issued a strong statement condemning the doxxing and intimidation, describing the sharing of the number as a deliberate act to chill investigation and reporting on a matter of public interest. It emphasised that Koko was following standard journalistic practice and the Press Code by seeking a right of reply, and that dissatisfaction with coverage should be addressed via the Press Council or BCCSA rather than harassment. The CPJ also called on South African authorities to ensure Koko’s safety and investigate the threats.
Broader context and nuances
- The underlying story: The R12 million state-contracts allegations form part of News24’s investigative interest in potential conflicts or contradictions involving a high-profile activist criticising government policy while allegedly benefiting from state contracts. Ngobese-Zuma publicly challenged News24 to prove the claims rather than addressing the specifics in detail in the initial post.
- Timing and mutual tensions: This occurred amid heightened activity around March and March’s anti-immigration protests and campaigns. Around the same period, Ngobese-Zuma herself faced (and opened a criminal case over) online rape and death threats from an individual identified as an ANC supporter/member, which the SAHRC and ANC condemned. Journalists covering related protests have also reported physical interference in some instances.
- Legal and media-freedom angle: Publishing a journalist’s private contact details in a way that foreseeably leads to threats is widely viewed by media organisations as doxxing and an attack on press freedom. Democracies rely on journalists being able to seek comment and report without fear of personal intimidation. At the same time, activists and public figures often push back hard against media scrutiny they view as biased or distracting, and social-media amplification can rapidly escalate.
- Status as of the latest available reports: The post was edited after the letter of demand. As of mid-October 2026 reporting, an apology had not been publicly confirmed in the sources reviewed, and News24 indicated it would pursue accountability. No final court outcome is detailed in the immediate coverage.
