The Durban high court has dismissed security boss Calvin Mathibeli’s bid to appeal against a February defamation ruling that ordered him to remove posts about Kwazulu-Natal police commissioner Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi.
Mathibeli had sought to appeal against the February 27 judgment which gave him 24 hours to remove all defamatory posts which he had made about Mkhwanazi on social media, websites and digital media.
Mathibeli, who was ordered to pay all legal costs, was also prohibited from repeating false accusations he had made about Mkhwanazi.
In February, Mathibeli allegedly made defamatory statements in a social media post after police visited his company, Calvin Security, and home in a national police action in December and again in February.
Police spokesperson Col Robert Netshiunda said on Tuesday the defamatory, character-assassinating allegations made by Mathibeli had the potential to tarnish the image of both Mkhwanazi and the entire police service in KwaZulu-Natal.
Netshiunda said Mkhwanazi has welcomed the judgment, saying that it was a valuable lesson to “loose-tongued individuals” who recklessly defamed others with no proof.
“This victory is for law-abiding South Africans who denounce criminality and aspire for a crime-free South Africa. Anyone can be challenged, but defaming a person should not be part of the debate,” Mkhwanazi said.
TimesLIVE
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