Ghostly turn in trial

2003-08-12 12:49

Cape Town - The Cape High Court matter involving three former New National Party politicians took a supernatural turn on Tuesday, when testimony was heard of an apparition seen on the bedroom wall of former Western Cape MEC Freda Adams.

Lay preacher and a former mayor of Macassar, Sidney September Kuhn, 76, was testifying in a defamation case brought by Adams against former Western Cape provincial premiers Peter Marais and Gerald Morkel. Marais also faces a sexual harassment charge brought by Adams.

Kuhn told the court he had been invited by Adams to see an apparition on the wall of her bedroom.

"It was a new home...I saw a picture that moved. It was a picture of a lady built like Adams who walked up the hill. It was a recurring picture," said Kuhn who was led by Marais's counsel Anwar Albertus.

Kuhn said he did not stay long and could not give an explanation for the picture, because there was "no window or hole in the wall where the picture could be projected through".

According to Kuhn, he and Adams discussed what the picture meant and concluded that the apparition "depicted her political career going to the crest".

Cross-examined by Fiona Gordon-Turner for Adams, Kuhn admitted the picture was open to subjective interpretation.

"I only saw it once...about 19:00, when it was getting dark."

Gordon-Turner put it to Kuhn that Adams denied inviting him to her house to see the apparition, particularly in the light that the two were not more than "amicable acquaintances".

"I am sorry she can't recall, but I was at the house and saw the apparition," said an adamant Kuhn, to stifled giggles from the public gallery.

According to Kuhn he accepted the invitation to see the apparition because he considered Adams a friend and he wanted to "reassure" her.

The case continues with Marais expected to take the stand later on Tuesday.

- SAPA