ANC Chief Whip in Parliament, Jackson Mthembu has slapped SABC GE of Corporate Affairs, Hlaudi Motsoeneng, with a lawsuit by  for “defamatory allegations” made against Mthembu during a live TV broadcast last month.

During a live broadcast of SABC 2’s TNA Biz Brief, Motsoeneng told Mthembu to stay out of issues involving the SABC, after Mthembu had repeatedly lambasted the public broadcaster over claims of censorship and serving its own interests over those of the public’s.

“During the live broadcast of The New Age business briefing on 27 October, Mr Motsoeneng made outrageous claims and veiled threats against the Chief Whip, warning him to desist from ‘making a lot of noise’ regarding the SABC and alleging his interest was driven by ulterior motives. Mr Motsoeneng further alleged that the Chief Whip had attempted to “capture” him,” the ANC’s office in Parliament said in a statement.

Motsoeneng also claimed that he’d met with Mthembu at a hotel, where they had a private discussion in Mthembu allegedly tried to “capture” Motsoeneng.

Mthembu’s lawyers sent a letter to Motsoeneng at the beginning of this month demanding an immediate public apology and retraction for his defamatory claims and disclose all the details of the alleged meeting where such attempted “capture” allegedly took place.

“Having failed to do so within the stipulated period, legal proceedings have now been lodged with the Court and Mr Motsoeneng will be served with the papers in the next few days,” the office explained.

“There is no doubt that Mr Motsoeneng’s claims are unfounded, unsubstantiated and blatantly false. The made-up accusations, aired publicly on live television, were intended to impugn the character of the Chief Whip. Imputing improper motives on the Chief Whip was clearly designed to threaten and blackmail him and the ANC in Parliament into silence on a matter of principle with the hope that the inquiry into the SABC, which the ANC caucus has outspokenly pursued, would be abandoned,” it added.

The court papers served to Motsoeneng include the following demands:

• Pay a sum of R1 million
• Issue an unconditional public apology for the “injury” caused to Mthembu as a result of the defamatory statement, both in print and over a public broadcast, within seven days of the date of judgment
• Pay the lawsuit’s legal costs

“The Chief Whip remains unshaken and unintimidated by Mr Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s spurious allegations and attempted blackmail, and is hopeful that a favourable judgment of the Court would dissuade Mr Motsoeneng from making similar thoughtless utterances in future,” the office said.