Top cop takes businessman to court for 'defaming him'

THE legal team representing KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi has told the Durban High Court that businessman Calvin Mathibeli was making absurd claims that their client was leading a corrupt police structure, targeting his business and ordering his assassination.

- NOMONDE ZONDI

Mkhwanazi launched the urgent High Court bid to have Mathibeli's statements declared defamatory and false and to interdict him from repeating them.

The allegations against Mkhwanazi were made on social media and during an interview with TV channel Newzroom Afrika.

Following the allegations, Mkhwanazi sought an urgent interdict to stop Mathibeli from proceeding with making the defamatory statements.

Mkhwanazi also wants Mathibeli to publicly retract the statement on the same platforms where he spoke about the general, stating that he was a criminal who abuses his position.