By Anita Dangazele
- Mabuyane’s lawyers told the court Malema’s fraud claims are based on a partially redacted SIU report he never saw in full.
- The EFF leader’s defence says the statements are not defamatory and rely on information already available to the public.
The East London Magistrates Court has reserved judgment on whether Julius Malema can be interdicted from repeating claims that Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane fraudulently obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Fort Hare.
Mabuyane says the claims are false. His legal team told the court he does not hold the qualification and was deregistered by the university. They argue that calling it fraud is not supported by the facts.
His lawyers are asking the court to declare Malema’s statements unlawful, compel him to issue a public apology, and bar him from repeating the allegations.
At the centre of the case is an SIU report. Mabuyane’s legal team says the only forensic material linking him to the degree is a partially redacted document compiled by the Special Investigating Unit and handed to the university. They argue Malema never saw the full report and could not properly rely on it when making his public statements.
Mabuyane’s counsel told the court that the harm continues to grow. Every day Malema does not retract the statements, the damage to Mabuyane’s reputation gets worse.
The EFF is pushing back. Malema’s defence asked for the application to be dismissed with costs on a punitive attorney-and-client scale. They argue the statements are not defamatory and are drawn from information already in the public domain.
Judgment has been reserved.
Pictured above: Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane.
Image source: Eastern Cape Office of the Premier
