Photo: Carl Niehaus
Suspended uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association spokesperson Carl Niehaus has gone into another rant, even quoting the Pope with a 13-page vitriolic response and crying abuse.
This to a cease-and-desist letter from Karyn Maughan after his “kick this dog” tweet about the journalist.
Niehaus came under fire for the “kick this dog” tweet and tried to explain away the post in a WhatsApp message to The Citizen.
The Jacob Zuma loyalist said he responded by referencing “the well-known centuries-old English saying, “Kick the dog until the owner comes out”.
ALSO READ: Carl Niehaus tries to explain away ‘kick this dog’ tweet aimed at Karyn Maughan
Carl Niehaus has also mischievously deleted the “kick this dog” tweet possibly hoping that the criticism he got would ago away.
“Yesterday afternoon, I already deleted my tweet using the English & Ndebele phrase: “Kick the dog until the owner comes out” because I could see that it was being deliberately misinterpreted & abused.”
He has since received a lawyer’s letter for his inciteful Twitter attack on Maughan and his conduct.
According to the letter, Niehaus’ conduct on calling on his Twitter followers to “keep on kicking Maughan” was clearly intended to “dehumanise and insult” her, and incite physical violence against her.
In the 13-page ramble, Niehaus who calls himself Mpangazitha told Maughan and her attorney Willem de Klerk that they are “barking up the wrong tree”.
He stated that the so-called ‘cease and desist’ letter they have sent is “legal gobbledygook”.
Using what he called another metaphor he told Maughan: “In short, that dog won’t hunt, madam! No withdrawal, and no apology will be forthcoming.”
Carl Niehaus made it clear in his response that he cares very little for journalists and the work they do.
“Remember that Pope Francis once said this about journalists: ‘Journalists sometimes risk becoming ill from coprophilia and thus fomenting coprophagia: which is a sin that taints all men and women, that is, the tendency to focus on the negative rather than the positive aspects’.
“To assist you and your client, this means journalists love shit, and encourage others to consume it! Who am I to disagree with the Holy Pontiff’s views about journalists’ marked interest in excrement, and other unusual use of faeces?” Niehaus said.
Carl Niehaus also hit out Maughan’s attorney, Willem de Klerk.
“Given that you are working for a law firm associated by surname with the former apartheid monster FW De Klerk, I am not surprised that you have stooped so low to create a fictitious case of defamation out of the exchanges I had with Karyn Maughan regarding her despicable attack on Public Protector Mkhwebane.”
“You have embarked on a harassment campaign of your own against me, and I must warn you that you may be putting your license as an attorney at risk,” he wrote.
Carl Niehaus who continued the letter said he would not retract his tweet of 4 November 2022, or issue an unconditional apology to Maughan.
“I refuse totally to do so, as I have made no ‘inciteful and damaging tweet” you erroneously assert.”
Carl Niehaus had been given until noon on Monday to retract and apologise for attacking Maughan on Twitter.
ALSO READ: Niehaus calls Karyn Maughan a ‘dog’ that must be ‘kicked’ in Twitter rant
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