ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and former minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will have to testify in court as their defamation dispute moves to oral evidence.

TimesLIVE reports that the Johannesburg High Court found there was a genuine dispute of fact that could not be resolved through affidavits alone. Acting Judge Henno Viljoen therefore ordered that witnesses be heard and cross-examined.

The case centres on allegations linked to the ANC’s 2022 elective conference at Nasrec.

Mbalula wants claims withdrawn

Mbalula approached the court after Dlamini-Zuma accused him of using money to influence delegates and secure his election as ANC secretary-general.

He denies the allegations and asked the court to declare them false and defamatory, order a retraction and apology, and prevent their further publication.

Dlamini-Zuma has stood by her claims.

SABC News reported in September that she opposed Mbalula’s application and submitted an affidavit from ANC member Mandla Sibiya in support of her version. Judgment was later reserved.

Court wants disputed versions tested

TimesLIVE reports that Judge Viljoen found the dispute could be resolved through oral evidence because the relevant witnesses could be identified.

Mbalula, Dlamini-Zuma and Sibiya are the three witnesses currently identified to testify.

Sibiya claims he witnessed and participated in the alleged vote-buying arrangement at the 2022 conference.

Mbalula disputes Sibiya’s account and says he does not know him, has never met him and did not give him money at the conference.

No finding yet on allegations

The ruling does not determine whether the vote-buying allegations are true.

Instead, the court has directed that the competing versions be tested through oral testimony and cross-examination.

TimesLIVE reports that Mbalula’s attempt to secure an immediate retraction and apology is therefore on hold while the oral evidence process continues.

The allegations remain disputed and have not yet been finally determined by the court.