Zuma drops Zapiro claim to R100 000
2012-10-24 22:36
Johannesburg - President Jacob Zuma has reduced his claim against cartoonist Zapiro from R4m to R100 000, media lawyer Dario Milo said on Wednesday.
He has also dropped a claim that Zapiro's Lady Justice rape cartoon harmed his dignity, said Milo, who represents the Sunday Times newspaper.
However, Zuma was still claiming that the cartoon harmed his reputation.
Milo said there was a slight difference between dignity and reputation.
"Dignity is basically an insult where you claim for hurt feelings in circumstances where the reasonable person would also have been hurt.
"Reputation is where you claim for harm caused because other people think less of you as a result of the cartoon."
The claim related to the cartoon, depicting Zuma preparing to rape "Lady Justice", which was published in the newspaper on 7 September 2008.
Zuma started proceedings in December 2010 against Avusa, the cartoonist Jonathan Shapiro and former Sunday Times' editor-in-chief Mondli Makhanya in a summons issued in the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg.
He was demanding R4m from Avusa, Makhanya and Shapiro for harming his dignity and damaging his reputation.
He has now reduced the claim to R100 000.
Zuma wanted an unconditional apology.
In the cartoon, Zuma, who was acquitted of a rape charge in 2006, was shown loosening his trousers while since expelled African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema, Congress of SA Trade Unions general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, SA Communist Party general secretary Blade Nzimande and ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe hold Lady Justice down, saying: "Go for it, boss."
The matter is scheduled to be heard in the High Court in Johannesburg on Monday.
- SAPA
