While speaking at Stellenbosch University (SU) on Friday to present a talk on press freedom in celebration of World Press Freedom Day, Pieter-Louis Myburgh, author of Gangster State: Unravelling Ace Magashule’s Web of Capture, commented on the defamation suit lodged against him by Durban-based businessman, Vikash Narsai, by saying “we welcome it.”
“We welcome it as the publishers and as myself, because the court of law allows us to further unpack these issues. I can’t comment broadly on it because it is a matter that is in a court of law now, but I’d really like to speak more about it”, stated Myburgh in response to a question on whether he is worried about the defamation suit.
Pieter-Louis Myburgh speaking on World Press Freedom day at SU PHOTO: Tashin Singh
The Daily Maverick reports that Myburgh is facing a R10 million defamation suit from Narsai with regards to allegations made in Gangster State. Narsai is seeking R5 million from Myburgh and R5 million from Myburgh’s publishers, Penguin Random House Publishers.
Myburgh commented on whether Ace Magashule might take legal action against him.
“He has made noises that he will go to court since day one; but the book has been on the shelves for more than a month now and there are no summons indicated from my lawyers or for the publishers.”
Read MatieMedia’s interview with Pieter-Louis Myburgh: https://www.smfnews.org/pieter-louis-myburgh-the-rot-runs-deep/
Pieter-Louis Myburgh signing one of the guest’s copy of Gangster State PHOTO: Jessica Josephs
“We have a right to chase stories and developments that are in the public interest,” stated Myburgh, concerning press freedom.
“Because investigative journalists are in the frontline when it comes to holding powerful people and entities to account, and because we are continuously exposing these transgressions, we often have to endure the grunt of these attacks.”
SU Journalism Department’s annual newspaper, LIP, was also launched at the press freedom talk.
Pieter-Louis Myburgh with Lip’s Editor-in-Chief Dennis Delport PHOTO: Jessica Josephs