Slander Lawsuit in South Africa

How to sue for defamation of character in South Africa?

These requirements are as follows:

• The statement must have been wrongful;
• The statement must have been intentional;
• The statement must have been published; and.
• The statement must have been defamatory.

Can you sue for slander in South Africa?

To put it simply: yes, if it is defamatory in nature, you could land up in court facing a lawsuit. Defamation can be seen as any wrongful, intentional publication of words or behaviour relating to another person that injures or demeans their status, good name, character or reputation.

How much do you get for defamation of character South Africa?

Before, courts seldom awarded more than R50 000 to R250 000 for defamation. Now, R500 000 has become the buzz-amount in defamation cases.

What are the requirements for defamation in South Africa?

The elements consist of the (i) wrongful, (ii) intentional (iii) publication of a defamatory statement concerning a person. The law requires that the three aforementioned elements be present to successfully prove that defamation has been suffered by a party.

Can you sue a person for slandering your name?

If someone has slandered you, you can claim damages and other remedies from them. If you issue proceedings, the court can order your opponent to pay damages to you, and impose an injunction, which could mean your opponent is sent to prison if they repeat the slander again in future.

Is defamation a crime in South Africa?

Defamation can be a criminal offence or a civil wrong. Many defamation laws originated as part of the criminal law of the state.