Bonang Matheba wins R300k in defamation suit against vlogger
Businesswoman and media personality Bonang Matheba has won a defamation suit against a popular South African vlogger.
Rea Gopane has been ordered by the Johannesburg High Court on Friday to pay Matheba R300 000 in damages after making defamatory statements about her.
Last year May, Gopane claimed in one of his episodes that Bonang introduced her ex-boyfriend, rapper AKA, to drugs.
The podcaster, who co-hosts 'Everything SA Music TV' on YouTube, claimed that TV and radio personality Scoop Makhathini told him that Matheba introduced AKA to cocaine.
Following the podcast, Matheba’s lawyers asked him to apologise for making defamatory statements about their client.
He was asked to issue an apology on various platforms, including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
However, the podcaster did not issue any apology, and this led to Matheba’s lawyer serving him with court papers.
Matheba's initial demand was R500 000 but the court made a final ruling of R300 000.
A cost order was also granted.
"I trust that this judgement is a lesson learnt to individuals like Mr Gopane that there are consequences for abusing public platforms to defame and humiliate others," Matheba said in a statement posted on social media.
"It is important that, particularly as women, our voices are used constructively to ensure that cyberbullying, untrue and inflammatory attacks on any individuals reputation are not tolerated."
Matheba added she would donate the damages to her namesake foundation.
ALSO READ: