Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma ‘stunned’ after being named in urgent court bid by KZN health MEC

KwaZulu-Natal media personality and activist Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma says she was stunned to learn she’s been named in an urgent court application brought by KwaZulu-Natal Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Mngadi. 

This comes after months of friction between the Simelane and Ngobese-Zuma, who founded March and March, an NGO that drew headlines and criticism for stationing volunteers at KwaZulu-Natal hospitals and asking patients for ID to check their legal status. 

Simelane-Mngadi slammed the initiative, calling it “unlawful acts of vigilantism,” and warning that “no member of the public or structure has the legal or moral authority to block others from accessing healthcare.''

Shortly after the controversy, Ngobese-Zuma’s contract at Vuma FM was abruptly terminated, sparking allegations that Simelane-Mngadi had pressured the station by threatening to withdraw health department advertising.

The MEC’s office denied any involvement, calling the claims “entirely false and without merit,” but opposition parties and activists continued to push for investigations into her conduct.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, July 26, 2025, Ngobese-Zuma revealed that she had received court papers from lawyers said to be representing the MEC.

“Yesterday at 14:24, I received an inbox from lawyers said to be representing MEC Nomagugu Simelane Mngadi. I later found out that the matter was filed as an urgent application in court around 3 pm,” she wrote.

“My lawyers sent a letter responding,and now we wait for the ruling. I’m not sure why my name is in it, though. But I will wait as I had said.”

Screenshots attached to her post showed filings from the Pietermaritzburg High Court, listing Ngobese-Zuma as a respondent alongside political journalist Sihle Mavuso, who also posted his response online, saying the urgency was exaggerated.

“Well, late yesterday, around 2 pm, uNomagugu and her so-called ‘lawyers’ filed their court papers and wanted the Pietermaritzburg High Court to hear the matter at 3 pm on the same day,” Mavuso wrote.

“I quickly filed my responding papers and told the court the urgency is self-created and it should penalise her for abusing it.”

Ngobese-Zuma, who has long been outspoken on migrant access to health care, expressed her frustration in isiZulu:

“Kazi mina ngingenaphi ngoba sengithola amaphepha in my Facebook inbox.. ey ngiyahlokolozwa yezwa!!”

(Translated: “Why am I being dragged into this? Now I’m receiving legal papers in my inbox… I’m being harassed!”)

This week, the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal issued a media statement defending Simelane-Mngadi and denying any role in the decision by Vuma FM not to renew Ngobese-Zuma’s contract. The party urged the public not to engage in “political lynching” of its leaders and insisted there was no political interference in the matter.

Ngobese-Zuma rejected the ANC’s version, describing its statement as “riddled with misleading claims” and damaging to her reputation. 

“The statement is not only unfortunate, it is riddled with misleading statements that have the effect of eroding my good name, particularly when the catchphrase has no nexus with the contents of the statement,” she said.

In response, she has taken legal steps against the ANC, accusing it of spreading misinformation that eroded her good name.

“The seriousness of the statement has warranted that I instruct my legal team to take appropriate legal action before the close of business tomorrow, in a quest to vindicate my rights,” she said in a statement on Wednesday evening.

IOL previously reported that Simelane-Mngadi vowed to take legal action over what she described as “false and malicious” claims. 

Both Ngobese Zuma and Mavuso confirmed they have filed responses and are waiting for the Pietermaritzburg High Court to rule.

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