Mashaba wants R2m from Parks Tau for calling him ‘racist’ and ‘sexist’

The Johannesburg mayor, the DA’s Herman Mashaba, is taking his predecessor, the ANC’s Parks Tau, to court on Monday for defamation, seeking an apology and R2 million in damages.

At a funeral for ANC councillor Nonhlanhla Mthembu shortly after Mashaba was elected mayor, Tau is alleged to have called Mashaba a “bigoted sexist who is racist and wishes he is not black”.

Tau is also alleged to have said: “The City of Johannesburg is today led by a man who believes that the women who are senior executives prostituted themselves to be in the jobs they are in. He says that in fact for them to earn the positions that they are in they had to sleep with the leadership. We have heard views from the mayor, Herman Mashaba, who says that in fact if it were up to him he would not want to be black.”

According to Business Day, Mashaba filed an affidavit, stating that it is “outrageous and ironical” for him to be accused of not wanting to be black since he called his company Black Like Me.

READ MORE: Mashaba threatens journalists with defamation case

Before becoming mayor, Mashaba made a lot of money from the company he established, which sold hair-care products.

Mashaba added that the comments showed that Tau was not “gracious in defeat” and is a “sore loser”.

The defamation case involves the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) and labour federation Cosatu, who Mashaba claims repeated Tau’s “false and defamatory” accusations.

The Joburg mayor wants Tau as well as the two organisations to retract the statements and apologise, as well as refrain from making similar comments in future.

He is seeking R2 million in damages from Tau.

Mashaba will be represented by advocate Dali Mpofu, also the EFF’s chairperson, as well as advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, who recently represented parliament in its case against AfriForum.

AfriForum attempted unsuccessfully to attain an urgent interdict stopping parliament from adopting a report recommending the constitution should be changed to facilitate land expropriation without compensation.

(Compiled by Daniel Friedman)

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