Bonang Wins Defamation Lawsuit Against Podcaster Rea Gopane
Multi-award-winning media personality and businesswoman Bonang Matheba has won a defamation lawsuit against podcaster, Rea Gopane. High Court Judge Malindi has ordered Gopane to pay a whopping R300 000 for defamatory statements he made about Matheba in May, 2021. In a viral video from his YouTube channel Everything SA Music TV, Gopane alleged that Bonang introduced her ex-boyfriend, rapper AKA to cocaine. He further alleged that veteran media personality Scoop Makhathini was the one who had revealed this “truth.”
@reagopane pic.twitter.com/Uy1mws0f6g
— Bonang Matheba 👑 (@Bonang) May 16, 2021
Bonang refuted the claims and sent a lawyer’s letter to Gopane demanding an apology and a retraction of the statement. Failure to meet the demands, would lead to Gopane to facing a defamation lawsuit compelling him to pay the media personality R500 000. Gopane initially refused to apologise but later released an apology video to Bonang, AKA and Scoop Makhathini, stating that he had “learnt from his mistake.” However, Queen B wasn’t having it because of the podcaster’s tweets which high-key suggested that he wasn’t sorry.
The incomparable Bonang Matheba is still mad she took a shot and missed last year. Thanks but I don’t need your good luck. See you soon mom 🤍
— Rea Gopane (@reagopane) January 18, 2022
According to Bonang’s legal representatives, the false allegation was “defamatory, intended to humiliate Bonang and her reputation.”
The media personality has since thanked her legal team Thomson Wilks Attorneys for helping her throughout the lawsuit. She also made mention of the fact that the R300 000 will be used for her philanthropy work in the Bonang Matheba Foundation.