Mthunzi Mdwaba Ordered To Pay Enoch Godongwana R1 Million for Accusing Him of UIF Bribery Scandal

• The Johannesburg High Court ordered Mthunzi Mdwaba to pay Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana R1 million in damages plus legal costs
• This came after the court found that Mdwaba's allegations that Godongwana solicited a R500 million bribe for a UIF contract were defamatory and false
• The court also ordered that he publicly apologise and retract his statements

With nine years' experience, Tebogo Mokwena, a current affairs writer for Briefly News, provided insights into the criminal justice system and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.

The Johannesburg High Court found Mthunzi Mdwaba guilty of making defamatory remarks against finance minister Enoch Godongwana. He was also ordered to pay R1 million plus legal costs to Godongwana and issue a public apology. However, Mdwaba strongly refuted the findings.

Read also

Senzo Meyiwa Trial: Gininda allegedly offered suspect R3 million to cooperate

Johannesburg High Court finds Mdwaba guilty of defamation

The Johannesburg High Court passed the judgement on 26 January. The judgement was made after Mdwaba accused Godongwana of soliciting a bribe from him. Mdwaba claimed that Godongwana, Labour and Employment Minister Thulas Nxesi and other high-ranking politicians wanted him to secure a R5 billion contract from the Unemployment Insurance Fund by giving them a R500 million bribe fee. Godongwana took him to court, where he was found guilty.

According to the judgement, Godongwana never solicited a bribe from Mdwaba. He also denied that he sent anyone to represent him in this deal. The judgement also bars Mdwaba from doing any interview in the media about allegations that Godongwana tried to solicit a bribe from him. Mdwaba posted on his X, formerly Twitter, account @Tzoro1 and called the findings bizarre. View his tweet here.

Read also

African National Congress Youth League's Colleng Malatji calls MK party a cult

Netizens suspicious of the judgement

Netizens believed there was something fishy about the judgement.

2015 said:

"The judiciary has been captured."

Krsna said:

"It's not defamation if it's in the public interest and if used as a defence."

Mpozololo remarked:

"Courts are captured! Keep fighting."

Others believed he was guilty

Yandisa Maqalekane said:

"You prolly did. You were unhinged."

Wongezile Skamen wrote:

"You are a loser, a liar, a hypocrite and a big disgrace."

Similarly, Briefly News reported that Thulas Nxesi's case against Mdwaba was postponed because Mdwaba's legal team wasn't ready.

Nxesi applied to have the allegations Mdwaba made against him set aside, and on the day of the court appearance, the case was postponed.

South Africans were dejected and believed Nxesi might never have his day in court.

Source: Briefly News