Imithetho Yokuhlambalaza YaseNingizimu Afrika: Icala Lomphakathi Nezivikelo
Ukuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika kuyicala lomthetho womphakathi (i-delict ngokwe-common law), futhi kusukela ngo-Ephreli 2024 akusekho icala lobugebengu, ngoba i-Judicial Matters Amendment Act 15 ka-2023 yasusa icala lobugebengu lokuhlambalaza elalisekelwe ku-common law. Idumela livikelwa ngezimangalo zesinxephezelo, hhayi ngokushushiswa kobugebengu.
Ingabe ukuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika kuyicala lomphakathi noma lobugebengu?
Ukuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika manje kuyindaba yomthetho womphakathi kuphela. Kuwuhlobo lwe-delict eyaziwa nge-actio iniuriarum, evikela idumela lomuntu (fama). Isikhathi eside emlandweni wezwe, kwakukhona necala lobugebengu lokuhlambalaza elalisekelwe ku-common law, futhi iNkantolo Ephakeme Yokudlulisela Amacala yaqinisekisa ecaleni likaS v Hoho (2008) ukuthi lelo cala lalisasebenza futhi lihambisana noMthethosisekelo. Leso simo sashintsha ngenkathi iPhalamende liphasisa i-Judicial Matters Amendment Act 15 ka-2023, eyasusa ngokusobala umthetho womphakathi omayelana necala lokuhlambalaza. Umongameli uRamaphosa wasayina lo Mthetho futhi waqala ukusebenza ngomhla ka-3 Ephreli 2024. Umuntu ozizwa ehlambalaziwe kumele manje amangalele enkantolo yomthetho womphakathi efuna isinxephezelo, esikhundleni sokufaka icala lobugebengu. Icala elihlukile le-crimen iniuria, elibhekana nokulinyazwa okungekho emthethweni nangamabomu kwesithunzi somunye umuntu, licala elihlukile futhi liyaqhubeka lisebenza.
Yini ebalwa njengokuhlambalaza?
INkantolo Ephakeme Yokudlulisela Amacala ichaze ukuhlambalaza njengokushicilelwa okungekho emthethweni nangamabomu kwesitatimende esihlambalazayo esiphathelene nommangaleli. Ummangaleli kumele afakazele izinto ezintathu ngokwamathuba avelele (balance of probabilities): ukuthi kwakukhona ushicilelo (isitatimende sadluliswa kumuntu owodwa noma ngaphezulu wesithathu), ukuthi amagama noma izithombe zaziyahlambalaza (zazithambekele ekwehliseni isithunzi sommangaleli emehlweni amalungu omphakathi acabanga ngendlela efanele), nokuthi udaba lwaluphathelene nommangaleli. Uma lezi zinto sezifakazelwe, umthetho ucabangela ukuthi ushicilelo lwalungekho emthethweni futhi lwalunenhloso. Umthwalo wobufakazi ubuye udlulele kumangalelwa ukuthi aveze isivikelo esamukelekile esiphika ukungabi semthethweni noma inhloso. Ukuhlambalaza kufaka izinhlobo ezihlala njalo njengokubhaliwe, ukusakazwa kanye nokuthunyelwe ku-inthanethi, kanye namazwi akhulunyiwe, futhi isitatimende singahlambalaza ngokuqonda okufihlekile (innuendo) noma ngokusobala.
Yiziphi izivikelo ezitholakalayo?
Umthetho waseNingizimu Afrika unika ummangalelwa izivikelo eziningana ezisungulwe kade, iningi lazo elichitha ukucatshangwa kokungabi semthethweni koshicilelo.
| Isivikelo | Okudingekayo |
|---|---|
| Iqiniso nenzuzo yomphakathi | Isitatimende siyiqiniso ngokweqiniso futhi ukushicilelwa kwaso kwasiza inzuzo noma usizo lomphakathi. |
| Umbono ofanele | Umbono ophethwe ngobuqotho, osekelwe emaqinisweni angamaqiniso, mayelana nodaba lomphakathi, oshiwo ngaphandle kobubi. |
| Ilungelo lokukhuluma ngaphandle kwecala (privilege) | Isitatimende senziwa ngesikhathi esinelungelo, njengasenkantolo, ePhalamende, noma ekwenzeni umsebenzi (privilege epheleleyo noma enemibandela). |
| Ushicilelo olufanelekile | Kubamangalelwa bezindaba, ukushicilelwa kwesitatimende esingamanga esihlambalazayo kusemthethweni uma bekuyinto efanele ngaphansi kwazo zonke izimo (icala i-National Media Ltd v Bogoshi). |
Qaphela: Iqiniso lodwa akulona isivikelo esiphelele. Ngaphansi komthetho waseNingizimu Afrika, ummangalelwa oncike eqinisweni kumele futhi abonise ukuthi ushicilelo lwaluhlose inzuzo yomphakathi, ngakho into eyiqiniso kodwa eyimfihlo yomuntu siqu futhi elimazayo isengase imangalelwe.
Izixazululo nezinxephezelo
Ummangaleli ophumelele angathola izixazululo ezintathu eziyinhloko. Okokuqala yisinxephezelo, esikhokhela ukulimala kwedumela nesithunzi (isinxephezelo esijwayelekile) kanye nanoma yikuphi ukulahlekelwa kwezimali okufakazelwe (isinxephezelo esikhethekile noma sempahla). Alikho ilimithi yomthetho, futhi izamba zilinganiswa yinkantolo ngokwezinto ezifana nobunzima becala, ubukhulu bokusatshalaliswa, kanye nokuziphatha kwabathintekayo. Isixazululo sesibili yi-interdict, umyalelo wenkantolo ovimbela ukuqhubeka koshicilelo noma ophoqa ukususwa kwezinto ezihlambalazayo, okuvame ukwenzeka ezindabeni zama-social media. Okwesithathu ngumyalelo ofuna ukuxolisa, ukuhoxiswa noma ukulungiswa. Izinkantolo ngokuvamile zigcizelele ukuthi izinxephezelo eNingizimu Afrika zihloselwe ukuvikela idumela kunokujezisa, ngakho izamba zivame ukuba ngaphansi kunakwezinye izifunda zomthetho.
Isikhathi sokuvimbela isimangalo
Isimangalo sokuhlambalaza siyisikweletu ngokwezinjongo ze-Prescription Act 68 ka-1969, futhi isikhathi esijwayelekile sokuvimbela siyiminyaka emithathu. Isikhathi ngokuvamile siqala kusukela osukwini udaba oluhlambalazayo lwashicilelwa ngalo, okuwuhlaka lapho ummangaleli eseyazi khona ubunikazi bomenzi wecala kanye namaqiniso adala isimangalo. Ummangaleli ongakhiphi izinsiza mangalo phakathi naleso sikhathi ubeka engcupheni yokuthi isimangalo singabi sasebenza ngenxa yokuvinjelwa okuphelelisayo (extinctive prescription). Imithetho ehlukile yesikhathi ingasebenza uma isimangalo simelene noHulumeni, ngakho ummangaleli kuleso simo kufanele ahlole izidingo zesaziso ezilawula amacala amelene nezinhlaka zikahulumeni.
Ukuhlambalaza kwe-inthanethi nama-social media
Umthetho ojwayelekile wokuhlambalaza usebenza ngokugcwele ku-inthanethi. Izinkantolo zaseNingizimu Afrika zithole ukuthi ukuthunyelwa kwe-Facebook, i-tweet noma umlayezo we-WhatsApp ohlambalazayo kuyishicilelo njengoba nje kunjalo ekushicilelweni ngokubhalwe, futhi umbhali angaba nesibopho. Ecaleni likaHeroldt v Wills, iNkantolo Ephakeme yanikeza i-interdict futhi yayala ukususwa kokuthunyelwa kwe-Facebook okuhlambalazayo, futhi ecaleni likaManuel v Economic Freedom Fighters izinkantolo zaqinisekisa ukuthi izitatimende zama-social media zingamangalelwa futhi zingaholela ezinxephezelweni ezikhulu. Umuntu owabelana, ophindaphinda (retweet) noma ophindela isitatimende esihlambalazayo naye angase aphathwe njengomshiceleli. I-Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 ka-2002 inikeza uhlaka lwesaziso nokususa (notice-and-takedown) olungakhawulela isibopho sabahlinzeki bezinsizakalo ze-inthanethi ezinye izimo, kodwa alumvikeli umbhali wokuqala.
Isimangalo sokuhlambalaza singafakwa kanjani
Isimangalo sokuhlambalaza somthetho womphakathi sifakwa eNkantolo Ephakeme noma, kuye ngenani nohlobo lwesikhalo, eNkantolo YeMantshi. Amacala ngokuvamile aqala ngencwadi yesimemo efuna ukuxolisa, ukuhoxiswa futhi kwesinye isikhathi inkokhelo, kulandele izinsiza mangalo uma udaba lungaxazululwanga. Ummangaleli uchaza ushicilelo, incazelo yalo ehlambalazayo kanye nokuphathelene naye, kanti ummangalelwa uveza noma yiziphi izivikelo. Uma okubalulekile kuwukumisa ukulimala okuqhubekayo kunokuthola imali, ummangaleli angafaka isicelo se-interdict esiphuthumayo ukuze izinto zisuswe. Izinkantolo ngokuvamile zikhuthaze ukulungiswa nokuxolisa njengemiphumela elinganiselwe, ikakhulukazi ezimpikiswaneni zangaphakathi kwe-inthanethi.
Frequently Asked Questions
Ingabe ukuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika kuyicala lobugebengu?
Cha, akusekho njalo. I-Judicial Matters Amendment Act 15 ka-2023 yasusa icala lobugebengu lokuhlambalaza elalisekelwe ku-common law, futhi lokho kususwa kwaqala ukusebenza ngomhla ka-3 Ephreli 2024. Ukuhlambalaza manje kuphishekelwa njengesimangalo somthetho womphakathi sesinxephezelo kuphela. Icala elihlukile le-crimen iniuria, elivikela isithunzi, lisekhona.
Ungamangalela malini ngokuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika?
Alikho ilimithi yomthetho ezinxephezelweni zokuhlambalaza. Izinkantolo zilinganisa izinxephezelo ezijwayelekile ngokobunzima besitatimende, ubukhulu bokusatshalaliswa kwaso kanye nokuziphatha kwabathintekayo. Izamba zaseNingizimu Afrika ngokuvamile zihlose ukuvikela idumela kunokujezisa, ngakho zivame ukuba ngaphansi kunezamba kwamanye amazwe.
Yini okumele ngiyifakazele ukuze nginqobe icala lokuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika?
Kumele ufakazele, ngokwamathuba avelele, ukuthi isitatimende sashicilelwa kumuntu wesithathu, ukuthi sasihlambalaza, nokuthi sasiphathelene nawe. Umthetho-ke ucabangela ukuthi ushicilelo lwalungekho emthethweni futhi lunenhloso, kanti ummangalelwa kumele aveze isivikelo esamukelekile njengeqiniso nenzuzo yomphakathi noma umbono ofanele.
Ingabe iqiniso liyisivikelo sokuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika?
Iqiniso lodwa alanele. Ummangalelwa kumele abonise kokubili ukuthi isitatimende siyiqiniso ngokweqiniso nokuthi ukushicilelwa kwaso kwasiza inzuzo yomphakathi noma usizo lomphakathi. Into eyiqiniso kodwa eyimfihlo yomuntu siqu futhi elimazayo isengase imangalelwe.
Yisiphi isikhathi esinqunyiwe sokumangalela ngokuhlambalaza eNingizimu Afrika?
Isikhathi esijwayelekile sokuvimbela ngaphansi kwe-Prescription Act 68 ka-1969 siyiminyaka emithathu, siqala kusukela osukwini udaba oluhlambalazayo lwashicilelwa ngalo. Izimangalo ezimelene noHulumeni zingaba nezidingo zesaziso ezihlukile, ngakho lezo zikhathi kufanele zihlolwe.
Ngingamangalelwa ngokuthunyelwa kwe-social media okuhlambalazayo eNingizimu Afrika?
Yebo. Izinkantolo ziphatha ukuthunyelwa kwe-Facebook, ama-tweet nemilayezo efanayo njengezishicilelo, futhi ababhali sebeke bayalwa ukususa okuthunyelwe, baxolise futhi bakhokhe izinxephezelo, njengasecaleni likaHeroldt v Wills noManuel v EFF. Ukwabelana noma ukuphindela isitatimende esihlambalazayo nakho kungaholela esibophweni.
Iyini umehluko phakathi kokuhlambalaza ne-crimen iniuria?
Ukuhlambalaza kuyisimangalo somthetho womphakathi esivikela idumela. I-crimen iniuria licala lobugebengu elijezisa ukulimazwa okungekho emthethweni nangamabomu kwesithunzi somuntu, isibonelo ngokuziphatha okuthuka kabi noma okwehlisa isithunzi. Ukususwa kwecala lokuhlambalaza ngo-2024 akuzange kuthinte i-crimen iniuria.
Sources and References
- I-Judicial Matters Amendment Act 15 ka-2023 (esusa icala lobugebengu lokuhlambalaza elalisekelwe ku-common law; yaqala ukusebenza ngomhla ka-3 Ephreli 2024)(gov.za).gov
- S v Hoho (493/05) [2008] ZASCA 98 (icala lobugebengu lokuhlambalaza laqinisekiswa, kodwa selashintshwa ukususwa kowezi-2024)(saflii.org).gov
- National Media Ltd and Others v Bogoshi [1998] ZASCA 94 (isivikelo soshicilelo olufanelekile)(saflii.org).gov
- Reddell and Others v Mineral Sands Resources (Pty) Ltd CCT 67/21 (iNkantolo YoMthethosisekelo mayelana nokuhlambalaza)(concourt.org.za).gov
- I-Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 ka-2002 (uhlaka lwesaziso nokususa)(gov.za).gov
- I-Committee to Protect Journalists, iNingizimu Afrika iyasusa icala lobugebengu lokuhlambalaza (Ephreli 2024)(cpj.org)