/ 21 October 1999

SANDLER FLIGHTS AD DENYING CHARGES

NEW Africa Investment Limited (Nail) co-founder Jonty Sandler took out a newspaper advertisement on Thursday to quell speculation over his efforts to stop newspaper reports that he is being investigated on charges of sodomy. Sandler’s public declaration in Business Day follows an urgent application on October 2 for an interdict to prevent the Cape-based Sunday Argus and the Durban newspaper, the Sunday Tribune, from publishing an article relating to an alleged investigation against Sandler. The successful application saw the story being withdrawn at the eleventh hour. Sandler said in the advert that he and his legal representatives have decided not to respond to reports on the investigation so as not to interfere with the administrative and judicial process. He did, however, state that the articles in the two Sunday papers had contained ”untrue, defamatory and sensation-seeking remarks”. The return date for the Durban High court case involving the Sunday Tribune has been set for January 20, next year. The return date for the Cape Town application is March 22.