9 December 2022, The Witness, Chris Ndaliso
The Pietermaritzburg high court reserved judgement in the application by the friends of the media to be admitted as friends of the court in the matter between journalist Karyn Maughan, prosecutor Billy Downer and former president Jacob Zuma.
The Campaign for Free Expression, Media Monitoring Africa Trust, The South African National Editors’ Forum and the Helen Suzman Foundation filed an application to be admitted as the friends of the court, but Zuma’s corner would have none of it.
In his arguments, advocate Max Du Plessis, SC, representing the first three applicants, said Maughan was merely arguing the abuse of the process against her and that she had no case to answer.