in fact not a Simelane but a Mahlangu, (3) that the Respondent knows that
her real father is out there but is distancing herself from him because he has
nothing to offer unlike the Simelane’s, (4) coupled with the further statement
that Gelane could be acting illegally, and (5) that the Ludzidzini Council has
been told about it and that the late Governor of Ludzidzini Jim Gama, said
that the area should be under the guidance of a person originally born a
Simelane. Indeed, implicit from the article is that the Respondent is a
fraudster, an imposer who usurped the position of Chief of Kontshingila.
The words “imposter” and “usurp” is language elaborately used to convey
the ordinary meaning of the defamatory words. The context of the words is
not an innuendo. It is defamatory per se.

[29] I cannot therefore fault the court a quo when it held as follows:“[32]

My considered view is that the meaning attributed to the articles by
the Plaintiff is the natural one and is either express or implied by the
words in question. Put differently, the articles convey the
defamatory meaning which the Plaintiff seeks to place upon them,
which is their natural meaning. This means that the articles are per
se defamatory of the Plaintiff and no innuendo is relied upon as a
basis for the defamation just as I do not think that there is reliance
upon a specific sting by the Plaintiff to contend she was defamed.
For the removal of doubt I must say I agree with the meanings
attributed to the words in question by Mr. Jele at paragraph 28
herein above and I also find those meanings to be the natural ones to
draw from the words used.

[33]

Having concluded in the manner I have, I disagree with Mr. Flynn
that the Plaintiff was in her submission no longer relying on the
natural meaning she had attributed to her words in her pleadings.
She may have said that the words meant that she was an imposter
who had allegedly usurped the chieftaincy of Kontshingila when she
was not entitled to by virtue of the fact that she was not a Simelane.
But that did not in my view suggest that she was pleading an
innuendo. I am convinced she was merely stating the natural
meaning of the said articles as would be understood by a reasonable
lay citizen as stated in the Independent Newspaper Holdings Ltd
Walleed Sullieman except referred in paragraph 29 above.

18

Select target paragraph3