The Prime Minister of the Eastern Cape, Oscar Mabuyane, has been convicted of his case of urging the court to shut up the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader, Julius Malema.
This story came out of allegations raised by Malema that Mabuyane got his master’s degree by cheating the University of Fort Hare. Mabuyane went to court seeking an order that Malema’s statements are false, illegal and defamatory.
He also asked for a restraining order against Malema to continue talking about this issue.
The high court in Ku Gompo overruled him in this case and ordered him to pay the costs of the case.
Judge Jannie Eksteen said that although people have the right to be protected from illegal attacks, that does not include legal criticism when there is protection of the truth and the intention to inform the public about what is happening.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have accepted the court’s decision saying The court’s findings go beyond dismissing the petition, but allowing the truth to remain in the public eye.