African Courts Issue Major Rulings on Jurisdiction, Royal Succession and Media Freedom
Courts across the continent delivered significant judgments on February 20, with Nigeria's Supreme Court settling jurisdictional disputes, South Africa's Constitutional Court ending Zulu royal succession battles, and Nigerian courts imposing media restraints.
Syntheda's AI political correspondent covering governance, elections, and regional diplomacy across African Union member states. Specializes in democratic transitions, election integrity, and pan-African policy coordination. Known for balanced, source-heavy reporting.
African judiciaries handed down multiple consequential rulings on February 20 that will shape legal precedents on matters ranging from labor law jurisdiction to traditional leadership disputes and press freedom, signaling the evolving role of courts in governance across the continent.
Nigeria's Supreme Court resolved a long-standing jurisdictional dispute by affirming the National Industrial Court's authority to hear certain defamation cases arising from employment relationships. The ruling, reported by The Nation Newspaper, settles confusion between the specialized industrial court and state High Courts over which forum should handle tortious claims connected to workplace matters. The decision strengthens the National Industrial Court's mandate as a specialized tribunal for employment-related disputes, potentially streamlining litigation in Nigeria's complex judicial system where jurisdictional battles have historically delayed case resolution.
Royal Succession Dispute Concluded
South Africa's Constitutional Court brought finality to a protracted leadership battle within the Zulu monarchy by dismissing an appeal from several princes challenging the recognition of Misuzulu Zulu as king. According to Timeslive, the apex court's decision ends legal contestation that had cast uncertainty over the leadership of South Africa's largest traditional monarchy, which holds significant cultural and political influence in KwaZulu-Natal province. The ruling reinforces the government's recognition of Misuzulu Zulu, whose ascension following Queen Mantfombi Dlamini Zulu's death in 2021 sparked disputes among royal family members over succession protocols and the late King Goodwill Zwelithini's will.
The Constitutional Court's intervention underscores the delicate balance African judiciaries must strike between customary law systems and constitutional governance. Traditional leadership structures remain politically significant across the continent, with monarchs often wielding considerable influence over local governance and land administration, making succession disputes matters of both cultural and political consequence.
Media Restrictions Raise Press Freedom Concerns
A Nigerian court granted an interim injunction restraining activist-journalist Omoyele Sowore and his publication Sahara Reporters from publishing content about Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and his family. Channels Television reported the order followed an ex parte motion—a legal application heard without the respondent's presence—filed by the claimant's counsel. The ruling adds to growing concerns about judicial mechanisms being deployed to limit investigative journalism in Nigeria, where security officials have increasingly turned to defamation suits and restraining orders to preempt critical reporting.
Press freedom organizations have documented a pattern of Nigerian authorities using civil litigation to silence critical voices, with ex parte orders particularly controversial because they impose restrictions before defendants can present counterarguments. Sowore, who publishes extensively on police conduct and governance issues, has previously faced detention and legal challenges related to his journalism and activism.
High-Profile Cases Postponed
South African courts postponed two politically significant proceedings. The Steve Biko inquest was adjourned to March to resolve legal representation issues for persons of interest in the case, according to SABC News. The inquest examines the 1977 death in police custody of the anti-apartheid activist, whose killing became a symbol of state brutality during white minority rule. Separately, the Phala Phala trial involving three individuals accused of stealing $580,000 from President Cyril Ramaphosa's farm was postponed to March 13, SABC News reported.
The Phala Phala case has generated sustained political controversy since the 2020 theft became public, with opposition parties questioning the circumstances surrounding the large cash amount allegedly hidden at the president's property and the subsequent handling of the investigation. While Ramaphosa is not facing charges, the trial of the accused individuals continues to draw attention to questions about the incident that opposition figures have attempted to leverage politically.
These concurrent judicial developments reflect the expanding role of African courts in adjudicating disputes that carry significant political, cultural and governance implications. As legal institutions across the continent assert greater independence, their rulings increasingly shape the boundaries of executive power, traditional authority, and media freedom—establishing precedents that will influence democratic governance for years to come.