Zuma loses ConCourt bid to appeal Hanekom judgment
The Constitutional Court has dismissed former president Jacob Zuma’s bid to appeal against a court ruling that he had defamed Derek Hanekom by calling him a “known enemy agent”.
The apex court found that there is no reasonable prospect of success in the appeal.
In May, Zuma had also approached the Supreme Court of Appeal but that also proved unsuccessful.
Hanekom welcomes the ruling.
“It has been finally put to rest. It’s been a long road because at every step there have been appeals which has been the way they have been operating on a variety of cases, but this is the end of the road.
“His application for leave to appeal was dismissed by the ConCourt on the basis that it has no reasonable prospects of success and it was dismissed with costs,” Hanekom said.
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The former tourism minister sued Zuma for a 2019 tweet, in which he accused the African National Congress (ANC) veteran of discussing a motion of no confidence in him with the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
“I feel a bit vindicated but I’m not the kind of person who likes to gloat," Hanekom added.
“But it’s an important judgement, that’s the important thing. People with his kind of profile, a former president of the Republic of South Africa and a former president of the ANC should not be allowed to get away with this kind of statement."
Zuma has been ordered to issue a public apology, retracting his utterances, within 24 hours of the ruling.
Zuma’s lawyer Eric Mabuza confirmed he would comply with the order.
Listen to Derek Hanekom below:
