Steve's promise 'not immoral'
2008-11-04 07:44
Pretoria - Steve Hofmeyr's "promise" at the time to Janine van der Vyver, his mistress of many years, to buy her a house, among other things, after she had "lovingly supported him" for longer than nine years, was "not immoral".
This was the argument of advocate Ben Swart, Van der Vyver's legal representative in her case against Hofmeyr in the Johannesburg High Court, on Monday.
But in documents submitted to the court, Hofmeyr argued in turn that Van der Vyver did not have a strong enough case to sue him.
Van der Vyver is suing the singer for damages exceeding R1.5m because he allegedly broke the promises he made to her in their erstwhile relationship.
Apparently he promised in March 2006 to buy her a house and give her money to build a fitness studio and buy herself a car.
'Pop star entertainment'
But by the end of their relationship in 2007 none of these promises had materialised.
This after she "had set herself aside as his life partner" and supported him for longer than nine years, also in his career, Swart told acting judge George Bizos.
Van der Vyver also alleges that it all transpired at the cost of her own training, career and plans for the future.
She is also suing Hofmeyr because he dragged her name through the mud by referring to her in the media as mere "pop star entertainment".
Advocate Tobie Krüger, his legal representative, said Hofmeyr held that Van der Vyver was aware during the entire duration of the relationship that he was married.
'Derogatory and humiliating'
He said Hofmeyr had been legally and morally bound to support Natasha Sutherland, his wife, and only her, and that it would have been "immoral" of him to also financially support Van der Vyver.
At this, Bizos asked with a crooked smile: "So, Van der Vyver did it all for love, and that's why she's entitled to nothing?"
Krüger also argued that Hofmeyr had not injured Van der Vyver's dignity by referring her as "pop star entertainment", because that reference was made only to describe their relationship.
He asked the court to strike Van der Vyver's case from the roll.
Swart argued that the average, intelligent reader would undoubtedly have regarded Hofmeyr's reference to Van der Vyver as "derogatory and humiliating".
'Contract of donation'
He also said Hofmeyr's promise to support her financially was in fact a "contract of donation".
"On no level can it be said that this agreement of his was 'immoral'."
The slightly built Van der Vyver said shyly to Beeld at court on Monday that she was glad the day [of the court case] had finally come.
"The past two weeks have been extremely tense.
"I now just want to know in which directions things are going so that I can carry on with my life."
Bizos has reserved judgment, but indicated that judgment would be forthcoming within two weeks.