Trollip sues Troon for defamation of character

The DA’s mayoral candidate for Nelson Mandela Bay, Athol Trollip said he is suing the Nelson Mandela Bay’s Councillor Lawrence Troon for defamation of character.

According to Trolip, a journalist showed him unsigned affidavits last year, written by farm workers who have complained about his family violating their rights.

“The journalist who showed me the affidavits got them from Troon. He is the one who is responsible for these affidavits, I know it’s him, and I will see him in court,” he said.

“The ANC is welcome to do whatever they want to do, I have already spoken to my lawyer and sued for defamation of character,” he said.

He said, some farmworkers who have complained never worked for his family.

Earlier, the ANC had said it would lay a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission against Trollip’s family, this week.

ANC national spokesperson, Zizi Kodwa said the family allegedly violated some farmworkers’ rights, while they were still working for them in Bedford in the Eastern Cape.

He said the farmworkers had submitted written statements to the ANC on how they were treated between 2005 and 2010.

“For now, we cannot divulge the full information, but the farmworkers who experienced this inhumane treatment have told us that they were forced to work from early morning until late at night, without taking a break.

“[They] also told us that Athol Trollip knew about how they were treated, but he did nothing. He should have stopped it because, apparently, he was always at the farm,” he said.

Jeanette Chabalala, News24