Lawyers representing ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula have told the High Court in Johannesburg that former Cabinet minister and ANC NEC member Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has no evidence to support allegations that he paid delegates to secure his position within the party.
The court is hearing Mbalula’s urgent defamation application against Dlamini-Zuma following comments she made during an African Renaissance podcast last month.
Dlamini-Zuma alleged that Mbalula had bribed delegates at the ANC’s 55th National Conference in an effort to secure his election.
Mbalula subsequently approached the High Court, arguing that the allegations were defamatory and seeking legal relief.
His legal representative, Advocate Smanga Sethene, told the court that Dlamini-Zuma had failed to provide evidence to substantiate the claims.
“Now there is no iota of evidence presented by Dr NDZ to prove that allegation that she made as a statement of facts,” Sethene said.
He argued that the former minister’s claims should be supported by prima facie evidence if they were to withstand Mbalula’s application.
The court is considering the arguments from both sides as it determines whether Dlamini-Zuma’s statements amount to defamation and whether Mbalula is entitled to the relief he is seeking.