AGREED SETTLEMENT: AfriForum and Solidarity vs Daily Maverick 31251, 32153

[This is not an Appeals Panel ruling – the parties have agreed to a settlement.]

Joint statement by AfriForum, Solidarity and Daily Maverick

On 30 April 2025, the Deputy Press Ombud ruled in favour of AfriForum and Solidarity pursuant to a complaint by them against Daily Maverick for publishing on 15 February 2025 a cartoon created by Zapiro. The cartoon created the impression that AfriForum and Solidarity were driving a narrative of a genocide of white farmers occurring in South Africa.

Daily Maverick launched an appeal against the ruling and was granted leave to appeal on 14 June 2025. The Cartoonists Rights Network Intl and Africartoons.com also applied to be admitted as amici in the matter, arguing that satire should be afforded significant breathing space in a democracy and that the Deputy Press Ombud’s decision did not give adequate weight to this protection.

The parties, in the interest of press freedom, agreed to settle the dispute on the following terms:

1. Daily Maverick confirms that AfriForum and Solidarity have not made any public claim that there is a present or pending “genocide” against white people in South Africa;
2. Pursuant to the above AfriForum and Solidarity accept that Zapiro’s cartoon was not literal but satirical. The cartoon constituted a satirical comment on the concerns AfriForum and Solidarity have raised regarding prejudicial policies affecting Afrikaners and other minorities in South Africa; and
3. Daily Maverick accordingly agreed to withdraw its appeal, and AfriForum and Solidarity agreed to abandon any reliance on the ruling in this matter, on the above basis.

This joint statement is accordingly published on the website of the Press Council in accordance with the settlement reached

Daily Maverick

AfriForum

Solidarity

14 October 2025