2012-12-04 13:03
Durban – eThekwini municipal manager Sbu Sithole has filed a response to a R10m defamatory lawsuit brought by his predecessor Michael Sutcliffe, the Mercury reported on Tuesday.
The city has denied any liability in the case, saying if the comments were found to be defamatory, Sithole had just been doing his job.
Sutcliffe filed a lawsuit against Sithole and the city because of comments Sithole made in relation to the Manase report on alleged fraud and corruption in the city.
Sithole reportedly told the media the city had decided to pursue criminal charges against Sutcliffe and take legal action to recover R1.1m which he alleged had been lost because of Sutcliffe’s failure to report fraud.
Sutcliffe claims that comments made were false and disparaging. The city denied the statements were false.
It also denied that Sithole said the Manase report had found Sutcliffe had caused the loss of R1.1m or recommended the money be recovered.
The municipality said the comments were made in the public interest.
– SAPA
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Sutcliffe lawsuit: eThekwini denies liability