Riyaz Patel
Jacob Zuma’s bid to appeal a court judgment that he tweets an apology to ANC stalwart Derek Hanekom for branding him a “known enemy agent” was dismissed with costs Thursday.
“In the opinion of this court an appeal of judgment would have no reasonable prospects of success before another court,” said Judge Dhaya Pillay sitting in the KwaZulu-Natal High Court in Pietermaritzburg.
On Tuesday, advocate Thabani Masuku, for Zuma, had argued that the former president’s tweet had been taken out of context.
Zuma’s tweet came after it emerged that Hanekom had met with the EFF leadership to discuss a motion of no confidence in Zuma.
“My lady, context is important, if you look at what was said at the Zondo commission of inquiry, it was focused mainly on what [Zuma] says about spies.
“What he said about his political onslaught against him is the fact that there were people inside the party and outside the party who wanted him out of leadership roles,” Masuku said.
Advocate Carol Steinberg, appearing for Hanekom, submitted that “known enemy agent” referred to her client being an apartheid spy.
“Known enemy agent does mean apartheid era spy in this context.”
She added that Hanekom, a prominent anti-apartheid figure, was naturally upset at the accusation that he was a spy.
In September, the court ordered Zuma to apologise, remove the tweet and to pay damages, the figure of which has yet to be determined.
