Health-e News Service has instructed the AIDS Law Project to defend it and its employees against a R1,6-million defamation case being brought against us by Dr Matthais Rath.
Rath is suing Health-e News Service, two employees and a freelancer for a total of R1,6-million following a series of stories written and broadcast about the activities of the Rath Foundation, primarily in Khayelitsha and Gugulethu.
The stories were subjected to rigorous fact-checking and were checked by our attorney before being published and broadcast. We are convinced they are accurate, contained fair comment and that their publication and broadcasting were in the public interest.
Although the stories Rath is suing over were published in various newspapers including the Sunday Times, Cape Times and The Star as well as being broadcast on SABC’s SAfm, Rath is only suing Health-e and its employees.
Qunta Incorporated, the law firm of SABC Board deputy chairperson Christine Qunta, is acting for Rath.
The AIDS Law Project is already representing former Education Minister Kader Asmal and Medicins sans Frontieres official Dr Eric Goemaere, who are also being sued for defamation by Rath.
Rath is also suing a number of other people for defamation in a number of other cases, including editors and reporters from the Independent Group and HIV/AIDS expert Professor Jerry Coovadia.
