The Johannesburg High Court has ordered the Minister of Housing, Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, to disclose documents relating to her R3-million defamation suit against the Mail & Guardian. If she fails to do so, the court could dismiss her case.
The minister is suing the M&G for an annual “report card” on her performance in 1998 in which she was accorded an “F”.
This week the M&G asked the Johannesburg High Court to compel the minister to disclose documents relating to her case, after she failed to do so on time.
After the court order is served, Mthembi-Mahanyele will have 10 days to deliver.
The report card, which kicked off “Why is she still in Cabinet?”, mentioned Mthembi- Mahanyele’s handling of the Motheo housing scandal.
The scandal involved the award of a major housing contract to a friend of Mahanyele. After the minister’s then director general, Billy Cobbett, intervened to try to stop the award of the contract he was axed.
Last year the minister fared better the M&G complimented her on her improved performance in that year, upgrading her to a “C”.
The minister waited until March this year before she sued the M&G.
Her summons accused the newspaper of publishing defamatory and wrongful statements in the article intended to mean that Mthembi-Mahanyele:
l Is of a base moral standard;
l Is a dishonest person and would dishonestly award a massive housing contract to a close friend;
l Improperly and unfairly dismissed Cobbett;
l Is incompetent and unable to deliver as a minister;
l Is not worthy of holding public office.
The M&G disclosed its documents relating to the case last week.