Johannesburg – The Randburg Magistrate’s Court has found author Jackie Phamotse guilty of defaming and injuring the dignity of Romeo Khumalo and his wife Basetsana Khumalo.
The matter dates back to 5 June 2018, when Phamotse tweeted that she had overheard a conversation between a businesswoman and one of her friends about a video depicting her husband engaging in sexual activity with another man.
When her followers linked the tweet with the Khumalos, Phamotse responded with a laughing emoji and said “I love it” and did not refute it.
Romeo Khumalo testified that the tweet was deeply hurtful. He said it caused enormous irreparable damage to his reputation and that of his business.
Basetsana Khumalo testified in court that the tweet made her feel raw, attacked, violated, and insulted.
She approached the harassment court and was granted a protection order against Phamotse, but that didn’t stop the author’s onslaught.
The accused went further with her onslaught on the Khumalos when, on 22 February 2019, she published a book titled “I Tweet What I Like So Sue Me“, in which she violated the protection order against her.
On the cover of her book, she referred to a case number that relates to a case registered by Basetsana against her, seeking a protection order.
On page 105 of the book, the accused suggests that the Khumalos have a lot of money and paid the magistrate to rule in their favour.
In court, Phamotse testified that she published the tweet as part of her writing process.
She further stated that she did not intend to cause harm to anyone.
Senior Public Prosecutor Yusuf Baba argued that the accused had no regard for the complainants’ rights to a good name, privacy, and dignity.
He further stated that her actions were intentionally aimed at injuring the reputation of the Khumalos.
Phamotse will be sentenced next month, on 24 October 2023.
