Jacob Zuma sues Independent group

INDEPENDENT News and Media Plc’s South African unit is being sued by Jacob Zuma, the country’s former deputy president, for allegedly defaming him in several articles and cartoons.

Zuma filed legal papers last night seeking a total of 125 million rand (€13.9m) in damages from the Tony O’Reilly-controlled Independent, its editors, reporters and cartoonist, said Moegsien Williams, the editor of the Johannesburg-based Star newspaper.

“We are not taking it too seriously,” Mr Williams said. “We will defend this matter in court.”

President Thabo Mbeki fired Zuma in June last year after a court ruled that Zuma’s financial adviser tried to solicit a bribe and made illicit payments to him.

Zuma’s trial is due to begin on July 31. Zuma, 64, was separately charged with raping a family friend who is less than half his age — at his Johannesburg home on November 2 — and was acquitted on May 8.

The cases have been given blanket media coverage by the nation’s media. Zuma objected to reports published in several of Independent’s South African titles, as well as caricatures drawn by Zapiro, one of the country’s best-known cartoonists.

Independent News and Media stood by its coverage, Williams said.

“This is a blatant and very clear attempt to stop us from taking a critical look at this man,” he added.

Zuma’s office acknowledged the lawsuit and said, in a faxed statement, it also planned to sue several other media companies and journalists for defamation, including units of Caxton and CTP Publishers Ltd, Primedia Ltd and Johnnic Communications Ltd.

Zuma plans to lodge a claim against Primedia’s Highveld Stereo radio station for airing a derogatory song about him during his rape trial.

“It is unacceptable that anyone should show such contempt for our legal system,” Zuma said in the statement.