Afrikaans singer Jurie Els says the editors of You and Huisgenoot
magazines used their publications to ridicule a court order he had
obtained to prohibit them from publishing sexual molestation
allegations made against him, writes Fatima Schroeder in the Cape Times.
In papers filed at the Cape High Court Els wants to order that the editors of the English and Afrikaans editions of the magazine be jailed, alleging that they were in contempt of court for breaching the court order.
Els said the publications had continued to report on the allegations after he had lodged the contempt of court application.
These further reports used the court proceedings to create sensation which made the contempt even worse, he said.
A reference to the story on the cover page read: 'I'll never forgive myself.'
In the story, which was published in February, Els had been indirectly accused of sexually molesting 21-year-old Afrikaans singer Robbie Klay throughout his teens.
Els's name was not published in the main report and certain portions of the article had been blacked out.
His face was blurred in the pictures.
But Els says the interdict he obtained against editors Esmaré Weideman and Izelle Venter specified that the magazine editors should not have published the story at all.
He also said the content of the reports clearly indicated that he was the alleged perpetrator of the sexual assaults on Klay even though his name was not mentioned.
He instituted contempt of court proceedings and the matter briefly came before the high court in March but was postponed after the editors indicated that the application would be opposed.
However, Els filed a further affidavit after he discovered that additional reports were published.
One of the reports included an interview with Klay's mother under the heading: "He took Robbie from me." It reported that Klay's mother blamed herself for the alleged molestation. A reference to the story on the cover page read: "I'll never forgive myself."
Els said another report in a separate edition of the magazine included large extracts from the affidavit attached to the contempt of court application.
Click here to read the full report, posted on iol.co.zaÂÂÂ
