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Ruling (Leave to Appeal)

Hassen Lorgat vs Sunday World

, ,

BEFORE THE APPEALS PANEL OF THE PRESS COUNCIL OF SOUTH AFRICA

In the matter between:

Hassen Lorgat                                                                                Applicant

and

Sunday World                                                                             Respondent

Matter No: 32380

DECISION ON AN APPLICATIONN FOR LEAVE TO APPEAL

  1. This matter was disposed of by the Deputy Press Ombud on a technical point, namely, lack of locus standi. Mr Hassen Lorgat (applicant) brings an application for leave to appeal the Ruling of the Deputy Press Ombud dated 10 December 2025. The Ruling dismissed the complaint that had been filed by the applicant against Sunday World (respondent) following the article published by the respondent on 29 October 2025, with the headline “Health professionals body slaps Tlaleng Mofokeng with misconduct over Israel remarks”. The article reported that the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) found Dr Mofokeng guilty of misconduct for her comments on the Israeli Prime Minister and an official of the organization UN Watch. She had made comments that were critical of the two in connection with the well-known situation in Gaza.
  2. It was the applicant’s view that the article violated a few clauses of the Press Code vis-a-vis Dr Mofokeng; in effect the complainant was complaining on behalf of Dr Mofokeng and said it was with her approval. He, however, could not produce any written authority from Dr Mofokeng to confirm that. It is not necessary to go into the details of the complaint as both the Public Advocate and the Deputy Press Ombud dismissed it on the ground that the applicant had no locus standi.
  3. In terms of the Complaints Procedures, Rule 1.1, one may lodge and prosecute a complaint on behalf of another person who cannot do so themselves, but, as the Public Advocate demanded, the applicant had to produce written authority from Dr Mofokeng authorising him to act on her behalf. This aspect, which is in any case clear, was dealt in the Ruling.
  4. For the reasons given above, the application lacks prospects of success and is therefore dismissed.

Dated this 25th day of February 2026

Judge B M Ngoepe (Retired Judge President) Chair, Appeals Panel

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