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Musa Khawula pokes Mbalula again despite court order
Musa Khawula appears to have landed himself in another legal battle after repeating allegations about ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula’s wife, Nozuko Mbalula, despite a previous court ruling concerning his publications about her.
Khawula made the latest remarks on X on September 10, 2026, directly addressing former government communications official Esethu Hasane and bringing Nozuko and Fikile into the conversation.
In the post, Khawula wrote:
“hi @lEsethuHasane my sweet baby, your previous employer fikile mbalula and his wife nozuko mbalula were also involved in the shady and questionable communication tenders worth over r150 million, were you also alluding to this? call me some time, we could chit chat.”
The post is significant because it comes after legal proceedings involving Khawula, Nozuko and Michelle Perrow over similar allegations.
The original R150 million allegations
In 2024, Khawula published a post alleging that Nozuko was involved in a R150 million fraud scandal.
The post stated:
“Fikile Mbalula’s wife Nozuko Mbalula involved in R150 million fraud scandal!”
Khawula went on:
“Between 2013 and 2019 Nozuko Mbalula has paid Nomthandazo Mosupye to secure lucrative government deals.”
He further wrote that his publication would provide:
“A dive into how this R150 million was spent and paid to different entities….”
The allegations were subsequently taken to court by Nozuko and Michelle.
The Johannesburg High Court dealt with the allegations published by Khawula concerning Nozuko and Michelle and found the publication defamatory. The case concerned allegations that the two women were involved in bribery or wrongdoing linked to government tenders.
What the court found
The important distinction in the case is between Khawula’s allegations and the court’s findings.
Khawula’s posts presented the alleged R150 million dealings as a scandal involving Nozuko and other individuals. But the court proceedings concerned whether those publications were lawful and defamatory.
The court ruled against Khawula over the publications, meaning that the allegations could not simply be treated as established facts.
That distinction is particularly important because the September 10 post appears to revisit substantially similar allegations.
Rather than simply referring to the old publication, Khawula again linked Nozuko and Fikile to what he described as “shady and questionable communication tenders worth over r150 million”.
The new post and contempt issue
The latest post has raised the question of whether Khawula has breached the court’s order.
Fikile has threatened further legal action and has indicated that Khawula could face consequences for contempt of court if he has breached the terms of the existing order.
Contempt of court is not simply another defamation claim. It concerns non-compliance with an existing court order.
Where a court has ordered a person to stop publishing particular defamatory allegations, retract statements or take other specified steps, deliberately doing the prohibited act again can potentially trigger contempt proceedings.
That is why Khawula’s wording on September 10 is potentially significant.
His new post again refers to Nozuko, again raises the R150 million figure and again suggests that she and Fikile were involved in questionable government communication tenders.
Fikile and Nozuko’s legal battle with Khawula
The dispute forms part of a broader history between Khawula and Fikile.
Khawula has repeatedly used social media to make allegations about prominent South Africans, resulting in both criminal and civil legal consequences.
His legal troubles have included allegations made on social media about Fikile and others. In January 2025, Khawula was arrested in KwaZulu-Natal after a warrant was issued in connection with charges including offences under the Cybercrimes Act, crimen injuria and hate speech. The charges related to social-media publications concerning public figures, including Fikile.
The circumstances surrounding that arrest later became part of testimony and allegations heard by the Madlanga Commission, where questions were raised about political interference and the handling of Khawula’s arrest warrant.
Khawula’s wider legal history
Khawula has also faced a separate murder case following the death of Wandile Khambule. He was arrested after Khambule was stabbed and killed, with Khawula maintaining that he acted in self-defence.
His legal problems have therefore extended well beyond his celebrity commentary.
His social-media activities have repeatedly resulted in complaints, criminal proceedings and civil litigation, particularly where people argue that his posts crossed the line from commentary into unlawful allegations.
The Mbalula dispute is one of the more serious examples because it involves a court order and the potential consequences of allegedly breaching that order.
What happens next
Whether Khawula is actually guilty of contempt will ultimately depend on the precise wording of the existing court order and whether prosecutors or the Mbalulas bring an application alleging that he breached it.
It is therefore important not to state at this stage that Khawula has been convicted of contempt over the September 10 post.
What can be established from the latest exchange is that Khawula has repeated allegations involving the same R150 million figure after a court had previously dealt with publications concerning Nozuko and Michelle.
His latest post says:
“your previous employer fikile mbalula and his wife nozuko mbalula were also involved in the shady and questionable communication tenders worth over r150 million”
He then asks Hasane:
“were you also alluding to this?”
And closes with:
“call me some time, we could chit chat.”
For Fikile, the issue is now not simply what Khawula allegedly said about his wife in 2024, but whether the latest publication amounts to a deliberate breach of a court order.
If an application for contempt is brought, the court will have to examine the wording of the existing order, what Khawula was prohibited from publishing, what he knew about that order and whether the September 10 publication falls within its scope.
More battles
Musa Khawula’s legal troubles extend well beyond the Mbalula matter. He has also been involved in a high-profile civil dispute with EFF leader Julius Malema, where a court ordered him to retract and apologise for defamatory claims; he was later handed a 30-day direct imprisonment sentence, suspended on conditions linked to compliance with the order.
Khawula is separately facing a murder case relating to the 2022 death of Wandile Khambule in Vredenburg. After failing to appear in court, a warrant for his arrest was issued and his bail was ordered to be forfeited.
He has also faced criminal charges arising from his social-media posts, including defamation of character, hate speech and contraventions of the Cybercrimes Act, while another matter involved charges of attempted murder, alternatively reckless driving, and failing to render assistance or report an accident.
His arrest and the circumstances surrounding some of the charges were subsequently raised before the Madlanga Commission, where testimony alleged political pressure surrounding his arrest – allegations that have been contested.
Economy
Kaya 959 turns up the heat as Chefs & Chenin talent cooks live on air
Kaya 959 is bringing the flavours of the inaugural Chefs & Chenin Festival to its listeners, with some of the chefs taking over the station for a live cooking experience ahead of the two-day culinary celebration.
Chef Mahalia Jackson, Jacques Venter, Chef Tebogo Morgan and Saviour Moyo will be showcasing their culinary skills on air, giving listeners a taste of what they can expect when Chefs & Chenin takes place at Crawford International Sandton College on 26 and 27 September 2026.
The festival is presented in partnership with Kaya 959 and celebrates two distinctly South African passions – cooking over fire and Chenin Blanc.
Bringing the festival to Kaya 959
The live cooking sessions give Kaya 959 listeners an opportunity to get closer to the chefs and the food that will form part of the festival experience.
Rather than simply talking about what is coming, the chefs are putting their skills on display in the Kaya 959 studio, building anticipation for a weekend where food will be cooked over open flames and paired with South Africa’s much-loved Chenin Blanc.
The festival is designed as a celebration of food, wine, music and local creativity, with a Harvest Market, live entertainment, kids’ activities and an art exhibition also forming part of the programme.
Meet the chefs
Chef Mahalia Jackson brings more than three decades of experience in the culinary industry to the line-up. She is an executive chef, entrepreneur and published author, and has been the managing director of Added Touch Catering & Events since 2005.
Her career has included major corporate events and high-profile gatherings, with Jackson also having served guests including former presidents Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki and international diplomats. She is also the author of Dare to Dream, a recipe book and memoir which won an African Authors Award in the Food Category.
Jacques Venter has built a career across different parts of Johannesburg’s culinary scene. According to his Chefs & Chenin profile, he began his career in 2003 as a commis chef at The Castle Kyalami before progressing to sous chef.
His experience has included fine dining at Roots restaurant at Forum Homini, work at Coco C in Bloemfontein and a stint at the Radisson Blu Sandton, where he worked his way up to executive sous chef. Since 2019, he has been part of the Pick n Pay group as a food specialist at Pick n Pay on Nicol and Thyme restaurant.
Chef Tebogo Morgan, the chef behind CRAVINGS, Gourmet Rainbow Cuisine, brings a fusion approach to the festival. Born in Mthatha and raised in Johannesburg, Morgan trained through the International Chef Management Diploma at Capsicum Culinary Studio in Cape Town.
His culinary style, which he describes as “Fire & Fusion”, brings together Asian and Mediterranean influences with open-fire cooking.
Saviour Moyo, who is also associated with Saint Restaurant Sandton, rounds out the group of chefs appearing as part of the Kaya 959 activation.
More than just food
Chefs & Chenin is being positioned as an experience rather than a conventional food festival.
General access tickets include a tasting meal at a pop-up restaurant of the guest’s choice, where chefs will showcase their food through live-fire cooking. There will also be curated Chenin Blanc tastings, alongside the Harvest Market, live music and entertainment for children.
The festival’s focus on open-fire cooking also taps into a familiar South African food tradition, while the Chenin Blanc element highlights one of the country’s most important wine varieties.
With Kaya 959 providing the radio platform and the chefs bringing the food to life on air, the build-up is giving audiences a preview of what awaits at Crawford International Sandton College.
Chefs & Chenin takes place on 26 and 27 September 2026. Tickets are available through Webtickets.
