News Agencies|South African businessman Patrice Motsepe has taken legal action against a Botswana newspaper, Sunday Standard.
The lawsuit comes after the paper published an article on April 1 with the headline: “New Jerusalem Vic Falls secret meeting scuttled”.
Motsepe, who is the founder and chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, is suing the paper for 5 million pula (R6.7m) in damages, saying this is bad for his reputation, as reports claim that he smuggled over R20 million to influence politics of the country.
The article claimed the Mamelodi Sundowns owner and his sister, businesswoman Bridgette Motsepe-Radebe, donated R22m to Dr Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi’s campaign ahead of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party’s elective conference held last month.
Venson-Moitoi is a journalist and politician who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in Botswana from 2014 until December 2018. The politician is former president Ian Khama’s close friend who was challenging Mokgweetsi Masisi for the party’s presidency.
Part of the article read: “By Friday, a team of Botswana Police Service officers were investigating a number of security companies which are allegedly being used to smuggle campaign money into the country.
“This followed unconfirmed reports that South African mining tycoon Patrice Motsepe, who is also brother to Bridgette, had donated R22m to Venson-Moitoi’s campaign, which had already been smuggled into Botswana.”
According to court papers, the South African mining magnate is of the view that the statement is defamatory and implies that he acts illegally and is a dishonest businessman.
“As a result of the publication of the offending statement, the plaintiff has been injured in his reputation and has suffered damages in the amount of P5000000. In the premise, the defendant is liable to the plaintiff in the amount of P500 0000,” reads the court papers.
Motsepe’s spokesperson Sizwe Nzimande has confirmed that charges of defamation have been laid against the Botswana weekly.
“There is some legal action being taken but I can’t go into details because the matter is sub judice,” Nzimande said.
However, Sunday Standard editor Outsa Mokone said have not yet received the lawsuit.
“We have not received any lawsuit from Motsepe. Maybe it’s still on its way. Otherwise, when it arrives it will be treated like any other lawsuit,” Mokone said.
Mokone added that Sunday Standard had received more information about the allegations he claims implicate Motsepe in the domestic affairs of Botswana and would do a follow-up article on Sunday.
In addition to the money, Motsepe is demands that the newspaper publish an apology on its front page and on the paper’s website within five days from date of the court order.
The apology, as mentioned in the court papers, must take up a quarter of the page and remain published for seven calendar days.
Motsepe wants it to have the following wording: “To the extent that the Sunday Standard has made statements on its website stating or implying that Dr Motsepe has behaved illegally and dishonestly, the Sunday Standard hereby unequivocally retracts all such statements and imputations, and unreservedly apologizes that they were made.
“The Sunday Standard regrets any inconvenience caused to Dr Motsepe.”
He also wants the newspaper to pay the legal costs. The case is before Lobatse High Court Justice Tshepo Motswagole.
In April, Motsepe-Radebe and Joburg socialite Malcolm X were banned from entering the country visa-free, accusing them of being at the centre of an alleged plot to topple Masisi.
After the ban, then Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Linidwe Sisulu met with Masisi in Gaborone.
Following the meeting with Sisulu, Masisi posted a Facebook message which read: “The special envoy conveyed a message reiterating the longstanding and excellent relations between Botswana and South Africa despite the recent media reports.”