Zuma suing media for R63m
2006-07-03 22:56
Katrien Smit
Johannesburg - Jacob Zuma's defamation claim against various media has risen from R61m to R63m because a Johannesburg radio station apparently further "insulted" him on Monday morning.
This is apparently the largest claim by an individual for defamation in South African legal history.
Zuma is suing media owners, publishers, editors, journalists, cartoonists and newspapers. One of the claims against a newspaper concerns "layout foul play".
94.7 Highveld Stereo was initially to be sued for R5m for broadcasting a song by Darren "Whackhead" Simpson, a member of the radio station's Rude Awakening (RAW) team, called My name is Zuma.
The song comments on the Zuma rape trial. A statement by Zuma's legal team said the song was broadcast twice in April and May this year.
But, when the RAW team played the song again on Monday morning after hearing about the slander charge against them, Zuma decided to increase the claim amount against Highveld Stereo to R7m.
Zuma in Europe
Zuma's legal team said: "During the programme, they mimicked a trial between themselves and Zuma.
"The Highveld Stereo presenter Jeremy Mansfield ruled at the end of the 'trial' that the accused was not guilty"
After this, Zuma told his legal team he wanted the claim to be increased.
"It is unacceptable that someone can show such contempt for our legal system by aping a court sitting and pre-empting a judgment and, in this way, just insulting me further," said Zuma in a statement.
Zuma apparently will be in Europe until Thursday.
His biggest claim against one publication is that of R20m against the Star.
It comprises four different claims of R5m each, three of which are against the cartoonist, Zapiro.
The fourth is for an article accompanied by a manipulated photograph of Zuma.
The second-biggest claim (R10m) is against the Afrikaans Sunday paper, Rapport. This is also two claims of R5m each, one of them about a reader's letter.
The claim against Highveld Stereo is the third-largest and that against the Sunday Times is fourth, with a claim of R6m.
The Citizen, Sunday Sun, Sunday Independent and Sunday World are being sued for R5m each. Nearly all the items in which Zuma feels he was defamed are opinions or cartoons.
'Crucifixion by the media'
Zuma has appointed former Conservative Party MP advocate Jurg Prinsloo and Johannesburg attorney Wycliffe Mothuloe to fight his "crucifixion by the media" and investigate possible defamation claims against newspapers.
A footnote below press releases that Zuma issued on Monday stated "members of the defamation legal team will not have contact with the media at this stage".
All inquiries were referred to an e-mail address and answered by someone in the "office of Mr Jacob Zuma".
This office said the organisations against which claims had been instituted had 14 days in which to pay the claimed amount to Zuma.
If this did not happen, they would receive a summons to appear in court.
- Beeld