CHRIS ROPER: Why Iqbal Survé is suing me for R1m
Strategic litigation against public participation is a scorched-earth policy that threatens the democratic order
17 March 2022 - 05:00
I’ve been trying to think of the best way to write about the fact that Iqbal Survé, executive chair of Independent Media and spiritual godfather of the Tembisa 10 imaginary babies, is suing me for R1m. Or, indeed, whether I should write about it at all.
Lawyers would give the very good advice that it’s a risky business, airing an ongoing case in public. There’s too much opportunity to forewarn your opponent, or to muddy the waters to their benefit. But this is what such lawsuits are intended to do. They’re an attempt to intimidate you, to make you self-censor. And we can’t have that...
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