Marais storms out of court

2003-06-20 08:23

Ronel Bester

Cape Town - A visibly upset Peter Marais stormed out the High Court here on Thursday after Freda Adams said a former New National Party MP, who was expelled from the party after a disciplinary hearing, was his "bosom friend".

Gerald Morkel's advocate, Alwyn Moller, had asked the former provincial minister if she was aware Morkel had launched a disciplinary procedure against Anwar Ismail because of complaints of sexual harassment.

Adams said she understood Ismail allegedly downloaded pornography on former NNP MP Audrey van Zyl's computer.

Ismail was expelled from the party in 2001 after being found guilty of seven charges against him.

The original charge sheet contained 13 allegations, including dereliction of constituency duties, misappropriation of funds and humiliating a female colleague.

The party did not reveal on which charges he had been found guilty.

Adams described Ismail as Marais's "very, very close bosom friend", whereupon Marais made his disapproval known and stormed out of court, muttering under his breath.

Ismail is secretary-general of Marais's New Workers Party.

Who's suing who

Marais's advocate, Anwar Albertus, told Judge Anton Veldhuizen that Adams's remark was uncalled for and did not answer Moller's question.

He said he might later ask the court to strike it from the record.

Adams is suing Marais for R2.3 million in damages for slander and sexual harrassment and former Western Cape premier Morkel for R500 000 for slander.

Marais has lodged a counter-claim of R2.5 million in damages against Adams for her allegations of slander and corruption.

Moller told Adams her remarks about the corruption she supposedly found were irresponsible because she did not have the correct facts or take the trouble to establish them. She denied this.

Moller said Morkel denied Adams had complained to him that Marais had sexually harassed her, kissed her or touched her.

Morkel was aware of Adams's allegation that an Oudtshoorn NNP member complained to her about Marais and Cecil Herandien.

The women later retracted the complaints in a sworn affidavit, said Moller.

Moller said Herandien had told Adams at a gathering: "Put a tiger in your tank."

He said that, according to Herandien, Adams was wearing a scarf with a tigerskin design. Adams denied the observation.

Adams said the "three Ms" - Morkel, Marais and NNP leader Marthinus van Schalkwayk - were behind an orchestrated campaign to discredit her.

Judge Veldhuizen postponed the case to August 4.

- Die Burger