ANC Chief Whip Jackson Mthembu is suing SABC group executive of corporate affairs Hlaudi Motsoeneng for R1m for making ‘malicious and defamatory’ comments about him. According to a BusinessLIVE report, Mthembu is asking the courts to order Motsoeneng to pay R1m, to issue an unconditional public apology and to pay the legal costs. This comes after Motsoeneng lashed out Mthembu while speaking at The New Age business briefing on 27 October.

Motsoeneng reportedly said: ‘Jackson Mthembu should be last person to talk about SABC. Jackson Mthembu should know I met him at a certain hotel … but no one can capture me.’ Motsoeneng claimed that ulterior motives and personal interests were driving Mthembu and the ANC parliamentary caucus' decision to institute an inquiry into the SABC board's fitness to hold office.

He said the Chief Whip had attempted to ‘capture’ him. Mthembu’s office said his legal representative, Nicqui Galaktiou Inc, sent a letter to Motsoeneng on 2 November, demanding an immediate public apology and retraction of his ‘defamatory claims’. The lawyers also asked Motsoeneng to provide details of the alleged meeting between himself and Mthembu.

Full BusinessLIVE report