Self-styled influencer and social media personality Matthew Bongani Lani has launched a defamation lawsuit against the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE), demanding R2.5-million in damages.
This is over a media statement that labelled him a “bogus doctor” who had “masqueraded” as a medical professional without a matric certificate.
In legal papers filed at the Johannesburg High Court, Lani claims the department’s public statement was false. He also claims it was defamatory and reckless, causing serious harm to his dignity, reputation and professional standing.
Media statements ‘defamatory’
“The defamatory media statement published by the defendant (GDE) was viewed approximately 1.4 million times on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). It was further republished by major news outlets, both locally and internationally, significantly increasing the visibility of the false claims.
“As a result of this widespread dissemination, the plaintiff (Lani) was subjected to public ridicule, online harassment, and the loss of professional opportunities.
“The scale and speed of the exposure intensified the harm to the plaintiff’s (Lani) reputation and psychological well-being,” read the court papers.
He said the statement that the GDE had no record of Lani holding a National Senior Certificate and that he had been “masquerading on social media as a medical practitioner” was false.
Lani argues that at the time of publication, he had not been arrested, charged, or convicted of any offence.
Case eventually dropped
A police investigation had only just begun, and no formal findings had been made against him. Lani was later arrested on October 29, 2023. But the National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute due to lack of evidence.
The case was officially closed in September 2024 after further investigation by the Hawks.
In his claim, Lani accuses the department of effectively declaring him guilty in the public eye. This is despite no legal process having concluded.
He said the use of terms like “masquerading” amounted to an “inflammatory and misleading” statement made without legal authority.
The case also challenges several other claims made in the GDE’s press release. This is including that Lani had only passed one subject at Fourways Adult Centre in 2016.
Lani denies ever having attended the centre or written any subjects there.
He insists that from 2012 to 2017, he was enrolled at CJ Education. This is a private Cambridge International school, which operated outside the department’s governance. The school has since closed, and its records were destroyed in 2023.
School records cited
“In truth, the plaintiff commenced his primary education at Robin Hills Primary School. He subsequently transferred to Bordeaux Primary School in 2007. This transfer is formally confirmed in a letter dated 2 June 2025 from the principal of Bordeaux Primary School, Mrs. J. Shabangu, which records that the plaintiff was a former learner who arrived at Bordeaux in 2007 after transferring from Robin Hills Primary,” reads the court papers.
He further accuses the department of omitting key parts of his academic history. This is including the fact that he had skipped a grade while enrolled at Robin Hills Primary School.
According to the court papers, in May 2025, Lani submitted a formal request for his school records. He did so under the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA).
Right to privacy infringed
The department denied the request, claiming it was frivolous and would divert resources. Lani argues that this refusal was unlawful and aimed at blocking him from correcting the public narrative using official records.
“The defendant’s conduct violated the plaintiff’s constitutional right to dignity. This as enshrined in Section 10 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996.
“The defendant’s public disclosure of the plaintiff’s sensitive personal information, including references to [disability] education and mental health, amounted to an unjustifiable infringement of the plaintiff’s right to privacy and dignity,” reads the court papers.
Lani maintains that the department acted with malice or gross negligence by presenting unverified claims as official findings. And he says the reputational fallout continues to affect his life and livelihood.
