{"id":72287,"date":"2017-09-14T12:58:08","date_gmt":"2017-09-14T10:58:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mobserver.co.za\/?p=72287"},"modified":"2017-09-19T13:15:22","modified_gmt":"2017-09-19T11:15:22","slug":"judgement-eskom-allegations-public-interest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/develop.citizen.co.za\/middelburg-observer\/news-headlines\/2017\/09\/14\/judgement-eskom-allegations-public-interest\/","title":{"rendered":"Judgement: Eskom allegations ‘in public interest’"},"content":{"rendered":"

Detailed reports of criminal charges opened against billionaire Pastor Joe Singh and his business partner Peet Erasmus by Eskom, relating to alleged corruption amounting to a figure last revised at R6,2 billion, was the centre of a legal battle between the coal baron and the Middelburg Observer in which media freedom and media law were threatened.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the newspaper would claim a victory and last week the Middelburg High Court provided reasons for ruling in favour of the newspaper when the story first broke.<\/p>\n

It referred to the application by Singh six months ago for an interdict restraining publication of allegations of corruption – but the court stated that it was common cause that criminal charges are being investigated against applicants arising from their business relationship with Eskom.<\/p>\n

\u2022 See the full court document below.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n