Suspected sex blogger Juan Duval Uys of Kroonstad on Monday made his second appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court, where he faces a charge of crimen injuria.
The charge reportedly relates to an allegation that he had stated on a controversial, now-defunct blog that City of Cape Town mayoral committee member Simon Grindrod had used Uys’s services as a male prostitute.
Uys also faces a theft charge emanating from Kroonstad, and at his next appearance on September 21 it is expected that the theft charge will be added to the crimen injuria charge.
At Monday’s hearing, prosecutor Titi Mthimunye asked for a postponement in order to refer the case to the Western Cape directorate for public prosecutions in order to decide whether to prosecute Uys.
The proceedings were before magistrate Phindi Norman, who said she was astonished at the request for a postponement as, at the first appearance on July 30, the state had said it was ready to proceed with the trial.
Defence attorney Rheaz Khan said the case was based on suspicion and media reports. He said nothing in the police docket linked Uys to any criminal charge, and that the complainants were all MPs.
Khan said he had asked the prosecuting authorities to withdrew the charges, which could be reinstituted later, but they had refused.
Uys is out on warning and is to appear in court again on September 21. — Sapa