Publication: Cape Times Issued: Date: 2006-07-04 Reporter: Karyn Maughan Reporter: Gill Gifford Reporter:

Zuma Demands R140m from Independent Newspapers and Cartoonist

 

Publication 

Cape Times
Date

2006-07-04

Reporter

 Karyn Maughan, Gill Gifford

Web Link

www.capetimes.co.za

 

Johannesburg: Jacob Zuma believes his reputation is worth R125 million - and he is demanding this amount from Independent Newspapers.

Lawyers for the former deputy president are demanding that Independent Newspapers, which also publishes the Cape Times, and its staff compensate him for publishing an article and Zapiro cartoons that, they say, "injured (Zuma) in his dignity and reputation".

While a press release from the "Office of Jacob Zuma" said Zuma's claim would "make legal history", the cartoonist who produced the contentious cartoons has slammed the legal action as a "cheap publicity stunt".

"I'm not losing any sleep over this," Jonathan Shapiro, better known as Zapiro, said yesterday.

The Star editor Moegsien Williams has slammed the summonses served on his newspaper, the Sunday Independent and Zapiro as being "part of a design to stifle critical coverage and curb the lampooning of Zuma".

"However, the court action won't stop our coverage of the utterances nor the critical examination of the actions of a man who has ambitions to become president of South Africa," Williams said.

Zapiro is being sued for R15 million for producing three cartoons relating to Zuma's trial on a rape charge earlier this year.

Zapiro said he was "intrigued" by Zuma's claim.

"It's unusual for a cartoonist to be sued. Some of the cartoons I've done about Zuma have been hard-hitting, but I would go to court to defend every one of them."

Zuma is also preparing to sue Highveld Stereo. His aide Ranjeni Mununsamy confirmed that his letter of demand to Highveld Stereo had been held back as Zuma had decided to increase the R5m claim to R7m.

As news of Zuma's claim spread yesterday morning, presenters at Highveld Stereo's morning show, The Rude Awakening, launched into an impromptu comedy routine.

The office of Jacob Zuma claimed in a statement that the team performed an audio sketch of an impending court case between themselves and Zuma and played I am Zuma - a spoof song that Zuma believes defames him.

This apparently prompted Zuma to instruct his legal team to increase the amount he wished to demand from the radio station.

"It is unacceptable that anyone should show such contempt for our legal system by mocking a court proceeding and pre-empting a court ruling and in doing so further insult me," Zuma told his office from Europe yesterday morning.

With acknowledgements to Karyn Maughan, Gill Gifford and Cape Times.