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Supreme Court of Appeal to hear Mashaba, Tau defamation case

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The Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein will hear a defamation appeal involving former Johannesburg mayor and Cooperative Governance Deputy Minister, Parks Tau and his successor in the Johannesburg Metro, Herman Mashaba.

Tau is appealing a High Court judgment which found that his remarks against Mashaba were not a legitimate political criticism.

Tau was slammed for alleging saying that Mashaba was sexist and anti-black. The court found that Tau stretched the boundaries of legitimate political criticism into character assassination.

The High Court found that the comments made were defamatory and also interdicted the former mayor from repeating them.

The High Court also ordered for Tau to pay the cost for the application including the cost of two counsel.

In the video below Tau makes the remarks against Mashaba while addressing mourners at the funeral of African National Congress Councillor, Nonhlanhla Mthembu in 2016

 

Mashaba  said he would be donating the money to an organisation supporting women in need as a result of abuse and other social ills.

Tau made the reported defamatory remarks at the funeral of late ANC councillor Nonhlanhla Mthembu back in 2016.

He allegedly stated that Mashaba believed all female government officials were prostitutes who slept their way to their positions.

This after Mashaba said if the wrong people are in the wrong positions, they are going to be removed after the DA was leading the coalition in the Joburg City.

In the video below, Herman Mashaba talks to the media following an appearance in court where he is requesting that Parks Tau be ordered to apologise unconditionally and retract his statements

 

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