Carl sues Mbaks for R8m

Carl Niehaus, uMkhonto we Sizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) spokesman, is suing Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula for R8 million for calling him a thug and corrupt on Twitter last year.

This followed a series of tweets in October in which Mbalula labelled Niehaus and MKMVA president Kebby Maphatsoe as suspected criminals.

In one tweet, Mbalula said: “Carl Niehaus is a well-known thug employed by Magashule at Luthuli House.” He also tweeted: “Suspected criminals Kebby and Carl Niehaus.”

The tweets followed a march by the MKMVA to ANC headquarters calling for Mbalula’s arrest because of the damage done to South Africa’s rail infrastructure, among other issues.

Yesterday, Niehaus said the sheriff of the court was supposed to deliver the summons to Mbalula on 13 January. However, the court was struggling to get hold of the minister.

“My attorneys were informed that it was particularly difficult for the sheriff of the court to deliver the summons, that the minister was most of the time not in his office and that his secretary and staff were often also not there.

“The summons was in the hands of the sheriff of the court for a considerable period of time before he managed to deliver it,” Niehaus said.

“It’s now in the hands of the minister. He will have to respond and decide whether he wants to file an answering affidavit.”

Mbalula’s spokeswoman, Ayanda-Allie Paine, declined to comment on the case, saying it was an ANC matter.