Supreme Court, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele v Mail & Guardian Limited, 2004 (6). SA 329 (SCA), August 2, 2004

Clarifying that whether the publication of a potentially defamatory comment is “fair” or “reasonable” depends on the relevant circumstances, such as the interest of the public in being informed; the manner of publication; the tone of the material published; the extent of public concern in the information; the reliability of the source; the steps taken to verify the truth of the information; and whether the person defamed has been given the opportunity to comment on the statement before publication.