(FXI/IFEX) – South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner has succeeded in postponing the distribution of the book, “Kerzner Unauthorised”, which was expected to hit bookstores in South Africa on 27 October 1997. The book, written by former journalist Allan Greenblo, contains details about Kerzner’s personal life, including his divorce from former Miss World Anneline Kriel, […]
(FXI/IFEX) – South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner has
succeeded in postponing the distribution of the book, “Kerzner
Unauthorised”, which was expected to hit bookstores in South
Africa on 27 October 1997. The book, written by former journalist
Allan Greenblo, contains details about Kerzner’s personal life,
including his divorce from former Miss World Anneline Kriel, as
well as details about some of his alleged business deals.
Lawyers acting for Kerzner served notice on 26 October of their
intention to bring an urgent application for an interdict in the
Johannesburg High Court against Jonathan Ball Publishers to
prevent the sale of the book. The matter will be heard in the
High Court on 28 October, with the publishers agreeing to
postpone distribution of the book until the matter had been
heard.
The “Business Day” newspaper quoted Kerzner’s lawyers as saying
the book was “untrue, defamatory and an invasion of privacy. It
breached the Divorce Act, and depicted Kerzner as using unfair
business means.” The lawyers also claimed that the book was
“extremely damaging to the reputation of Kerzner.”
Among the details contained in the book are allegations about a
R2 million (US$422,000) bribery scandal in the former South
African homeland of Transkei; Kerzner’s dealings with the former
National Party government; and the reopening of hotels in the
Comoros islands. The “Sunday Times” newspaper reported on 26
October that Kerzner’s lawyers had demanded that the newspaper
not publish certain claims relating to the Comoros deal. Greenblo
told the “Sunday Times” that he stood by the claims in his book
and that he considered his sources to be reliable.
