Social Media Commentator Takes Legal Action Against Police Minister And Journalists

• Social media commentator Sphithiphithi Evaluator is suing Police Minister Bheki Cele for R10 million, claiming unlawful arrest and defamation during the 2021 insurrection case
• She was accused of using her X account @_Africansoil to incite violence after Zuma's imprisonment
• The case was dismissed for lack of evidence, and she plans to hold responsible parties accountable, including journalists who published false information

Reitumetse Makwea, a Briefly News current affairs journalist in Pretoria, South Africa, has covered court and crime-related news at The Citizen and Rekord Noweto for over five years.

Social media commentator Sphithiphithi Evaluator threatens legal action against the Police Minister Bheki Cele for R10 million.

The social media user claimed unlawful arrest and defamation during the 2021 insurrection case.

Read also

uMkhonto we Sizwe wants Parliament's first sitting stopped

The account also noted it would sue journalists who wrote false articles regarding the arrest.

See the post below:

Instigator during the July unrrst

The commentator, was accused of using her X (formerly Twitter) account @_Africansoil to incite public violence amid the 2021 July unrest following former president Jacob Zuma's imprisonment.

"He knows exactly what he did and how he broke the law. He caused the damage and never took any accountability, even after he was told his corrupt investigators were wrong and violated human rights.

"We are still coming for those working with evil former apartheid officers to target us and were allegedly paid millions of rands because....wait for it; " " imagine?

"Posting the truth on social media and sharing views makes people be intelligence officials?"

Read also

Former SARS employees face R653 million fraud charges

According to IOL, Sphithiphithi Evaluator was arrested in August 2021 at her home in Ekurhuleni by 10 plain-clothes officers who reportedly lacked a warrant.

They confiscated over 10 gadgets, including her children's devices, leaving the family traumatised. Despite an extensive search, no incriminating evidence was found.

Her arrest followed critical posts about President Cyril Ramaphosa and support for Zuma.

The case was dismissed in March 2022 by the Germiston Magistrate’s Court due to insufficient evidence, with the magistrate criticising the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for malicious prosecution.

The commentator alleges significant personal and familial harm from the incident, including Cele's defamation and the Hawks and NPA's leak of private information to journalists.

She intends to hold these entities accountable and seek justice through her legal action.

See the post below:

Bheki Cele declares departure: Won't return to National Assembly

Briefly News reported that Cele confirmed that he wouldn't return to the National Assembly.

Read also

Fikile Mbalula's 2016 holiday scandal: Afriforum inches closer to prosecution

Cele told reporters that he intends to step down from his government roles and prioritise family time.

The Minister was one of several ANC members who won't be returning to Parliament in the seventh administration.

Source: Briefly News