UDM leader Bantu Holomisa faced off with former deputy finance minister Jabu Moleketi, former Public Investment Corporation (PIC) executive Tshepo Mahloele and some of the PIC companies in the Constitutional Court last week over an interim interdict that prevents Holomisa from publicly making allegations of corruption in relation to PIC funds, the Sunday Times reported yesterday.
The court hearing was a precursor for a defamation lawsuit that starts this week. Holomisa had written to President Cyril Ramaphosa three years ago, but was forced to withdraw the letter from being made public until the defamation lawsuit was decided, the report said.
Holomisa’s legal counsel last week referred to links connecting Moleketi, Mahloele, Lebashe Investment Group, its chief executive Warren Wheatley, Harith General Partners and Harith Fund Managers, to the PIC.
They argued the interim interdict should be lifted in the public interest, and that political speech required additional protection from the court, but opposing counsel argued that the respondents were not politicians, that the interests of justice tests had been applied in an earlier judgment on the matter, and that Holomisa had not brought facts to the court to back up his claims.
Judgment was reserved, the report said.
edward.west@inl.co.za
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