Independent Democrats leader Patricia de Lille took the stand on Friday during the civil case against her in the Johannesburg High Court.
She explained she met the three women who are suing her while they were taking part in a clinical Aids trial at the University of Pretoria in March and April 2000.
The women complained about the trial, and De Lille took up their problems on their behalf. She testified that the plaintiffs never asked her to keep their identities secret.
The women are suing De Lille and author Charlene Smith for revealing their identities and HIV-positive status in De Lille’s biography. They want R200 000 compensation each from both defendants and they demand that their names be removed from the remaining copies of the book.
De Lille had to identify the women to the court, but because their identities have to be protected, she had to write down where they were seated and what they were wearing.
The court was then cleared and De Lille revealed the identities to the legal representatives.
Judge Ivor Schwartzman afterwards said he is satisfied that De Lille knows the women. It was previously disputed that she had met them more than once.
De Lille also denied an allegation that she did not have their permission to represent them in their complaints about the clinical trial.
During cross-examination, advocate Daniel Burger, appearing for the plaintiffs, told De Lille he was trying to establish her state of mind when she met the women.
”It will not be easy, but you can try,” De Lille quipped.
After repeatedly asking Burger to clarify his questions, she told him she was willing to answer him only if she understood the questions.
She told the court that in 2000, poor people suffering from HIV/Aids had no way to get hold of anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment.
”They were only treated for opportunistic infections,” she said. ”That is why I kept on fighting the government to make ARVs available to them.” — Sapa