Former President Jacob Zuma is expected to file his response on Wednesday to a defamation claim launched against him in the Durban high court by former cabinet minister and ANC member Derek Hanekom.
Hanekom’s application was to have come before the court on Wednesday but TimesLIVE has been reliably informed that by agreement between the two parties, it will now be argued on Friday after Zuma has filed his opposing affidavit.
In the urgent application, launched this month, Hanekom claims that a tweet about him posted on Zuma's official Twitter account had caused "immense harm and damage" to his reputation and this harm would continue as long as the statement remained published without censure.
Hanekom is seeking an order that Zuma must delete the tweet and admit the assertions are false. He is also asking for an interdict stopping Zuma from making any such claims in the future.
Hanekom is furthermore seeking R500,000 in damages which will have to be proved at a further court hearing, where oral evidence will have to be led.
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