About IFEX:

News by region:

IFEX Campaigns and Advocacy:

IFEX Email Products:

Opportunities and assistance:

Alert

Community newspaper faces defamation suit

(MISA/IFEX) - A local community newspaper, "The Developer", is facing a ZAR100,000 (approx. US$16,818) defamation suit from businessman Eric Chauke. Through his lawyers, Mdlalose Attorneys, Chauke is claiming "compensation for injury to his dignity, reputation and good name".

In its December 2004 issue, "The Developer", a monthly publication based in Soweto, Johannesburg, published a report alleging that Chauke was arrested and appeared in court on allegations of stealing chickens. The report, whose source is an expelled member of a business association chaired by Chauke, details other allegations against the businessman, including the handpicking of the association's executive members, lack of consultation in the pegging of membership fees and lack of transparency in the management of a newly-constructed vending shop in Kliptown.

"The Developer" editor Cheche Selepe told MISA-South Africa that he believes his newspaper is innocent. "The threat is the first of its kind since we established in early 2004. It has put us under a lot of stress, although we still stand by our facts," Selepe said.

"The Developer" has a print run of 10,000 and focuses on events and issues in the emerging business community.