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The rape trial of President Jacob Zuma will again be an issue tomorrow when deputy defence minister Kebby Maphatsoe defends a R1 million defamation case brought against him by former intelligence minister Ronnie Kasrils.
The hearing is scheduled to start at 9am in the Pretoria High Court.
At the time of the rape charge laid against Zuma by a 31-year-old, HIV-positive daughter of a family friend, Maphatsoe and members of the ANC Women’s League maintained that Zuma had been the victim of a “honey trap”; that the woman, known as “Khwezi”, had been sent to seduce Zuma.
After his acquittal on the grounds that the sex was consensual, Zuma also maintained that he had been the victim of a plot.
“She [Khwezi] was clearly sent to me for that purpose. As soon as I heard she was laying charges, I knew there had to be a plot,” he said.
Maphatsoe’s remarks, reported in April 2014 before the national elections, were among those critical of a campaign by Kasrils and former deputy health minister Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge that was called the “Sidikiwe! Vukani! Vote No!” campaign – which urged South Africans to either vote for a minority party or spoil their ballots.
However, Maphatsoe went further, maintaining that the plot had been hatched within the intelligence ministry. He had fingered Kasrils, then intelligence minister, as having “handpicked the woman who alleged Zuma had raped her”.
He also claimed that Kasrils had “sold out to foreign agencies” and was hostile to Umkhonto weSizwe (MK) operatives who had been dismissed from service.
Kasrils was furious, demanded a retraction and apology and started defamation proceedings. These are now coming to court.
Kasrils said at the time that Maphatsoe said he could produce evidence to support his allegation.
“I am prompted now to request this MK deserter to either produce the evidence he referred to, which can be tested in a court of law, or to retract his accusation.”
“It is a cowardly and false allegation that I deny,” said Kasrils.
Maphatsoe is also the controversial head of the MK Veterans’ Association (MKVA) and faces another civil action brought by several veterans who allege the large-scale looting of MKVA funds. According to lawyers acting for the veterans, this case is likely to be heard before the end of the year.
Maphatsoe has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Kasril’s legal team comprises Economic Freedom Fighters chairperson Advocate Dali Mpofu and Advocate Francois Grobler.
