Media freedom organisations welcomed the High Court’s decision. Nicole Fritz of the Campaign for Free Expression said journalists must be able to investigate public power “without unjustified legal restraints,” while SANEF’s Reggy Moalusi condemned the attempt to silence Naidu, calling it “yet another case where our courts are abused.”

According to Moxii Africa’s William Bird, the High Court’s decision affirms a core democratic principle: journalists must be free to report on matters of public interest without intimidation or legal overreach.

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