Former South Africa president Zuma defends defamatory tweet ahead of court case
Cape Town, South Africa (PANA) – Former South African President Jacob Zuma has taken aim at his ex-Cabinet Minister Derek Hannekom ahead of Friday’s urgent defamation case in Durban.
The two politicians had a high-profile fallout after Zuma publicly accused Hannekom of being an Apartheid-era spy.
Hannekom argues that the accusations made on Zuma’s official Twitter account had caused “immense harm and damage” to his reputation. He is suing Zuma for US$38,000.
Zuma’s made the allegation after appearing at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in July where he also accused other senior politicians of being spies.
Zuma’s now says his claims that Hannekom is a “known enemy agent” – is not a matter for the courts, but should instead be dealt with by the ruling African National Congress (ANC).
In papers filed at the KwaZulu-Natal High Court, Zuma said: “Hanekom’s anxiety about his professed role in the anti-apartheid struggle, whether or not this role was duplicitous and whether he was an apartheid plant within ANC structures, is misplaced in these proceedings.”
In another development, former Ministers Ngoako Ramatlhodi and Siphiwe Nyanda are also expected to file defamation cases against Zuma for publicly calling them spies.
Ironically, Ramatlhodi was Hanekom’s commander during the liberation struggle and he trained him in Zimbabwe.
Hannekom was arrested in 1983 and charged with high treason. The charge was subsequently reduced due to the international sensitivity of the case. He served three years in prison.
-0- PANA CU/MA 22Aug2019
