Social media matter not urgent, court tells Seloba

Mathabatha’s spokesperson says statements are false

Limpopo provincial government spokesperson Phuti Seloba’s urgent court interdict against EFF provincial chairperson was yesterday struck off the roll.

Seloba had lodged the application in the Limpopo high court in Polokwane to stop EFF chairperson Jossey Buthane from posting what he alleges are defamatory and untrue statements on social media. In his court papers, Seloba said the application was extremely urgent because Buthane’s posts gain attention and were continuously damaging his reputation. “Buthane in his own words informed me that he is not going to stop posting defamatory statements against me until he is ordered by the court. “Any day, minute or hour that passes my reputation and integrity continue to suffer as a result of Buthane’s post about myself,” read the application. Seloba said Buthane accused him of telling him that Limpopo premier Stan Mathabatha was often drunk and missed meetings. Judge Matsaro Semenya struck the matter off the roll and said it was not urgent as the information had already spread on social media. “The information is already out there and there is no way to stop it. The applicant should have came to the court immediately after seeing the posts.”

However, Buthane, in his answering affidavit, said in 2017 Seloba had approached him at various times making allegations about his party members.

“He said that their provincial chairperson and premier of Limpopo Mathabatha occasionally misses appointments and meetings, even for those accommodation arrangements were made.

“This information I spoke about in the Standing Committee of Public Account in the presence of the premier and it wasn’t denied. This was even in 2018.” Buthane said Seloba also told him Mathabatha had gone on an international trip with a protector and when he boarded a connecting flight the protector got lost.

“He told me that the premier was not allowed to leave with a protector as on overseas trips they cannot carry their firearms with and the diplomats get state security of the host countries. And that constituted wasteful expenditure,” Buthane said in his answering affidavit. Buthane further stated that Seloba told him that Mathabatha wanted to go on an international trip with MEC for health Phophi Ramathuba when there was a moratorium on international trips. Yesterday, Mathabatha’s spokesperson Kenny Mathivha said the office of the premier had already assembled a team to investigate the allegations made on social media.

He said Seloba also called him, alleging that former MEC for sports, arts and culture Onicca Moloi had hired a person without qualifications and had appointed two people to one position because Moloi had allegedly rigged the interview and appointed an unsuccessful person.

Moloi dismissed the allegations that she unlawfully employed anyone.

The EFF leader further alleged that Seloba told him that former MEC of roads and transport Mapula MokabaPhukoane misappropriated more than R200 000 meant for security upgrades to her residence. Mokaba-Phukoane is now MEC for social development.