Critical South African investigative organisation slapped with gag order

Investigative nonprofit Open Secrets has confirmed that it is currently “unable to speak on a matter of significant public importance” due to a court-imposed restriction.

The organisation, which exposes private sector economic crimes, says it will challenge the gag order with the help of legal partners PowerLaw Africa.

Founded as a nonprofit watchdog, Open Secrets investigates private sector economic crimes and advocates for accountability through research, advocacy, and law.

In a statement, Open Secrets said, “We are not permitted to disclose anything related to the matter including the names of the parties that may be involved.”

“What we can say is simple: efforts to muzzle public-interest journalism endanger everyone’s right to know.”

Speaking to Newsday, director of Open Secrets Hennie Van Vuuren explained that “organisations like Open Secrets work to expose the profiteers of economic crime the people also who profit from human rights abuse.”

“It’s crucial that the work of organisations like Open Secrets, but other non-profit newsrooms and commercial media for that matter, is protected in our ability to present fact-based information.”

Given its extensive exposés, there have been attempts from the powerful and the wealthy to target an organisation with limited resources.”

“It’s not the first time that somebody has put pressure or tried to put pressure on Open Secrets, and certainly we have faced attempts to… slap us as well.”

However, this time is different.

“This is certainly… one of the first instances that it’s been as far reaching as it is in this instance where I cannot even speak to you about who’s involved or which court the matter is being heard,” said Van Vuuren.

“We truly… have been gagged, yeah, we’ve been gagged.”

Scrutiny vital for a functional democracy

The organisation emphasised the constitutional protection of media freedom, adding, “South Africa’s Constitution protects freedom of expression and media freedom.”

“We assert our right—and duty—to publish fair, fact-based investigations in the public interest.”

Open Secrets condemned tactics used to intimidate journalists and civil society.

“Public interest media, investigative journalists, whistleblowers and civil society must be safe from surveillance, intimidation, doxxing, arbitrary arrest, and physical harm.”

The organisation said that strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), gag orders, and abusive prosecutions curtail media freedom and must be rejected by courts, regulators, and the public.”

We urge corporations and powerful private actors to end SLAPPs and intimidation; disclose information that is of public interest; and respect the watchdog role of public interest media, the press, and civil society.”

“Our courts have historically sanctioned abuse of processes meant to intimidate and silence journalists.”

Open Secrets affirmed it will challenge the gag order with PowerLaw Africa and remain committed to transparency.

The nonprofit, funded solely by philanthropy, stressed that public support is crucial to sustain its independent investigative work and resist attempts to silence it.

Who are Open Secrets?

Open Secrets SA is a nonprofit investigative organisation exposing private sector economic crimes and human rights abuses.

Its landmark cases include:

• Apartheid Guns and Money, uncovering global profiteering from apartheid-era arms;
• The Enablers, tracking banks and consultants behind Zuma-era state capture;
• Profiting from Misery, revealing South African arms sales fueling the Yemen conflict; and
• Digital Profiteers, exposing welfare system corruption.

Recent investigations target corporate dominance, energy sector profiteering, and stalled state capture prosecutions.

This includes high-impact probes like Who Owns South Africa?, PRASA corruption litigation, Eskom discounts to South32, and property laundering schemes.

Their work has led to arrests, policy shifts, and heightened scrutiny of powerful actors.