Riyaz Patel
The South Gauteng High Court has dismissed an EFF application for leave to appeal a defamation ruling in a case brought against them by South Africa’s former finance minister Trevor Manuel.
In May, Judge Elias Matojane had ordered the EFF to apologize to Manuel after he sued the party for alleging he was a business associate of and related to new SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter.
Manuel was the head of a selection panel, appointed by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, tasked with interviewing candidates to head up the tax agency. The panel made recommendations but did not make the final decision.
Matojane also awarded Manuel R500 000 in general damages.
The EFF, in a statement in March, had described Manuel’s involvement in Kieswetter’s selection process as “nepotistic” and “corrupt.
The EFF said its planning to challenge the latest court ruling in the Supreme Court of Appeal.
