Ibetshu Likazulu chairman, Qhubekani Dube, executive members Mqondosi Moyo and Phatisani Nondo on Wednesday filed a High Court application seeking an order to stop COPAC from putting advertisements in national newspapers which they say tarnishes their image.
Last month COPAC put advertisements in The Chronicle, Sunday News, The Herald, The Sunday Mail, The Financial Gazette, The Standard, The Independent and NewsDay warning the public that “Dube , Moyo and Nondo were not members of the COPAC outreach teams and therefore they should not been entertained”.
The advertisements were published after the three members of Ibetshu Likazulu had lost their first High Court application where they were suing COPAC alleging an unlawful termination of a quasi-employment contractual relationship.
However, in their second court application filed by their lawyer, Sindiso Mazibisa, of Cheda and Partners this week, the trio wants COPAC to prepare a public apology and retraction in eight newspapers with a minimum of two advertisements or publication of such an apology. They also want COPAC to pay costs of the suit on an attorney-client scale.
In opposition to the application by Ibetshu Likazulu, COPAC lawyer Josephat Tshuma of Webb Low and Barry denies that the advertisement was malicious and that there was any insinuation that the applicants were criminals or bad elements in society.
The advertisement was factual as it was informing members of the public of the court proceedings instituted by the applicants and also advising the outreach teams of how they should handle the applicants should they attempt to participate in the outreach programme,” said Tshuma.
Post published in: News