(FXI/IFEX) – The sale and distribution of the book, “Kerzner Unauthorised”, about hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, will likely remain suspended until late November when an application for a final interdict against the book will be heard in the Johannesburg High Court. Legal counsel for publisher Jonathan Ball Publishers, Clair Wright, told FXI that the publisher […]
(FXI/IFEX) – The sale and distribution of the book, “Kerzner
Unauthorised”, about hotel magnate Sol Kerzner, will likely
remain suspended until late November when an application for a
final interdict against the book will be heard in the
Johannesburg High Court. Legal counsel for publisher Jonathan
Ball Publishers, Clair Wright, told FXI that the publisher had
agreed on 28 October 1997 to suspend distribution of the book
until the ruling on the final interdict. The move was made to
avoid a ruling on a temporary interdict, which Wright said was
easier to obtain than a final interdict. No date was set for this
ruling, but Wright said the matter would likely be heard toward
the end of November.
**Updates IFEX alert dated 27 October 1997**
Background Information
“Kerzner Unauthorised”, written by former journalist Allan
Greenblo, was expected to hit bookstores in South Africa on 27
October. The book contains details about Kerzner’s personal life,
including his divorce from former Miss World Anneline Kriel, as
well as details about some his alleged business deals. The.
calvacom.fr, Internet: http://www.calvacom.fr/rsf/.
former South African homeland of Transkei;
Kerzner’s dealing with the former National Party government; and
the reopening of hotels in the Comores islands. On 26 October,
lawyers acting for Kerzner served notice of their intention to
bring an urgent application for an interdict to prevent the sale
of the book. The lawyers claimed the book was “untrue, defamatory
and an invasion of privacy” which breached the Divorce Act and
depicted Kerzner as using unfair business means. The lawyers
reportedly also ordered the “Sunday Times” newspaper not to
publish certain claims in the book relating to the Comores deal.
The author has been quoted in media reports as standing by his
claims in the book and defending his sources as reliable (see
IFEX alert).
For further information, contact FXI at PO Box 30668,
Braamfontein, 2017, Johannesburg, South Africa, tel: +27 11 403
8403/4, fax: +27 11 403 8309, e-mail: fxi@wn.apc.org, Internet:
http://wn.apc.org/fxi/.
