The Eastern Cape High Court dismisses Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane’s defamation application against EFF leader Julius Malema. Mabuyane sought to silence Malema’s public statements relating to allegations about his University of Fort Hare master’s degree.
In its ruling, the court finds that Malema’s statements are substantially true and made in the public interest. As a result, the court concludes that Mabuyane’s defamation claim cannot succeed.
The decision means the court does not order Malema to withdraw or stop the remarks tied to the Fort Hare master’s degree controversy. The ruling focuses on the credibility of the statements and whether they fall within public-interest discussion, rather than on a determination that the allegations are definitively established. The court’s dismissal leaves Malema’s comments on the issue in place for now.
