Unisa Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Prof Puleng LenkaBula, has refused to apologise to general secretary of the National Association of South African Workers (Nasa), Mpho Morolane for allegedly calling him a rapist and woman abuser on social media.
Morelane had requested that LenkaBula tender an apology for her remarks on all social media platforms by end of business on September 27, which the VC did not do.
This resulted in a legal war between the two figures, who have allegedly worked together in the past.
Two weeks ago, The Star reported that Morolane had unleashed his lawyers on LenkaBula, after the VC had allegedly verbally abused him after calling him a rapist and a woman abuser on social media.
Last month, Morolane’s lawyers, England Slabbert Attorneys accused LenkaBula of making defamatory statements against their client.
However, last week after refusing to apologise for her “defamatory remarks, LenkaBula appointed Klopper and Benade (KB) attorneys to represent her in the matter.
Her attorneys have informed Morolane that they were awaiting clear instruction from their client before proceeding with the matter.
“We refer to the above matter, and confirm that we act on behalf of Puleng LenkaBula (our client). We are in possession of your letter dated September 22, addressed to our client. We are taking instructions from our client and will revert to you as soon as circumstances permit,” the lawyers said in their letter, dated October 2.
This week, Morolane through his lawyers, England Slabbert Attorneys responded to the VC’s legal threats saying the contents of her letter were “inadequate”.
“The contents of your letter are, respectfully, inadequate, given the nature of your breaches of our client’s rights as complained of in our letter to your client, dated September 22 and the request for a response by no later than close of business on September 27.
“Over a week has passed since the deadline provided for in the letter with no meaningful response received from your offices nor your client. It is simply unacceptable that your client refuses to engage us (even if deny the breaches of our client’s rights),” the lawyers say to the VC.
The Star recently reported that LenkaBula was accused of having said: “You will be happy that you are a wolf (sic) in sheep skin, violently assaulting, raping, harming women and digging their graves as you rejoice… Your ongoing extortions of money, favours and silencing women may make you feel strong… You know people who claim you have raped them or assaulted them.”
It is these allegations that the VC has refused to address with the lawyer representing Morolane which are the subject of the legal sparring between the two parties.
Morolane has through his lawyers accused LenkaBula of abusing her office to victimise him for his role as Nasa leader.
He said his presence and the presence of Nasa at Unisa was at the centre of the attacks against him.
“The presence of my organisation at Unisa is threatening political thugs to a point that my former mentor LenkaBula has resorted to calling me a RAPIST. Rape is not a tool to be used for political expediency to suppress divergent views. I am abused by the VC of Unisa,“ Morolane indicated through his Tweeter account last week.
Attempts to get comment from Unisa were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.