The Joburg High Court has dismissed an urgent application by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) that sought to have businessman Rali Mampeule imprisoned for 60 days for allegedly breaching a court order.
In a scathing judgment delivered on 17 June 2026, Judge Steven Kuny not only dismissed the contempt application in its entirety but also ordered the PIC, its Chief Investment Officer Kabelo Rikhotso and Executive Head of Legal Lindiwe Dlamini to pay Mampeule’s legal costs on an attorney-and-client scale, including the costs of two counsel.
Kuny found that the applicants had relied on “inference and speculation” rather than direct evidence and said it was left with the “overriding impression” that the contempt application had been brought to punish Mampeule.
The latest ruling is the third chapter in a long-running legal battle between Mampeule and the PIC.
The dispute began in August 2025 when the PIC launched an urgent application seeking to interdict Mampeule from making defamatory statements alleging corruption, extortion, bribery and adultery involving senior PIC executives. However, the application was never heard despite a full exchange of affidavits.
In January this year, the PIC revived its bid with a fresh urgent application. On 4 February, Judge Mohamed granted an interim interdict prohibiting Mampeule from making or repeating allegations of corruption, extortion, bribery and adultery against the PIC and its executives pending the final determination of a defamation action.
The PIC subsequently instituted a damages claim against Mampeule, seeking a declaration that the statements were defamatory and wrongful, a public retraction and R16 million in damages, with Rikhotso and Dlamini each claiming R8 million.
Barely a month after obtaining the interdict, the PIC returned to court, accusing Mampeule of contempt and seeking his imprisonment.
The applicants alleged that Mampeule had reposted a King David podcast interview on the Mampeula Foundation’s LinkedIn account and had facilitated the publication of an X post by “Maphephandaba” containing adultery allegations involving Rikhotso and Dlamini.
However, Mampeule denied responsibility for both posts.
Kuny accepted the evidence from the foundation’s social media manager, Zef Makhatini, who admitted that he had reposted the podcast without Mampeule’s knowledge or permission and removed it immediately after receiving a complaint.
Regarding the Maphephandaba post, the court found no evidence linking Mampeule to the account, saying the applicants had failed to identify who owned or operated the account and had merely assumed he was responsible because the allegations mirrored those he had previously made.
Kuny further criticised the PIC for failing to provide a transcript of the podcast or identify the precise statements that allegedly breached the interdict.
He also questioned the urgency of the application, noting that the LinkedIn post had already been deleted almost a month before the contempt proceedings were launched.
Kuny was equally critical of the manner in which the litigation had been conducted, pointing to more than 1,145 pages of disorganised and repetitive court papers.
In dismissing the application, Kuny concluded that the applicants had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that Mampeule had breached the court order and that the facts did not justify the urgency they had claimed.
Reacting to the judgment, Mampeule said the case was about more than his personal circumstances.
“While I welcome the court’s decision, this matter was never simply about me. It concerns the fundamental principles of fairness, accountability and access to justice. The application sought my imprisonment and was dismissed in full. The court’s findings speak for themselves,” he said.
Speaking to Africa Daily, CCM Head of Stakeholder Relations and Communication Gaahele Mokgoro confirmed that they intend to declare the former board members delinquents.
