Rustenburg mayor Mpho Khunou sued for R1 million for leaking ex’s nudes

A North West woman who accused Rustenburg mayor Mpho Khunou of revenge porn and harassment has now filed a R1m lawsuit for defamation against him. Sina Makgatlha, 35, served Khunou and Sam Kgomotso Nong, the second defendant, with a combined summons two weeks ago. The defamation suit has been filed in the Mahikeng High Court.

According to court documents , Makgatlha, a former senior administrator at the Rustenburg municipality’s infrastructure department, accused the two men of peddling her nudes that she sent to Khunou when they were still in a romantic relationship, according to her.

She claimed Nong circulated her images and screengrabs of suggestive conversations between herself and Khunou on a WhatsApp group of ANC members in the North West. The group has more than 340 members.

She said Nong further commented: “This woman has been harassing Majoro [mayor] Bagaetsho.”

The story about the alleged romance and fallout between Khunou and Makgatlha came out in January and triggered a political backlash against the mayor.

Nong refused to comment, and instead accused local press Sowetan of taking part in a smear campaign against the mayor.

“Since you are part of this shenanigans and the onslaught against the mayor, you might write whatever you deem it sensational and newsworthy to the general public. Good luck with your smear campaign,” he said.

Khunou yesterday did not respond to text messages requesting his comment.

Khunou has previously denied having been in a romantic relationship with Makgatlha and accused her in court papers of being a conniving golddigger and extortionist.

He previously told Sowetan that Makgatlha was being used by an ANC faction that wanted to ruin his political career ahead of the party’s elective congress.

In her summons, Makgatlha said her name had been damaged because “the defendants acted unlawfully and wrongfully and had intended to plaintiff’s fundamental rights to dignity and privacy and has suffered damages in the amount of R1,000,000 (one million rand)”.

The summons further said that “despite the demand that the first defendant withdraw his defamatory statement and publish an unequivocal apology, the first defendant failed… refused to do so”.

In December, Khunou threatened Makgatlha with a R300,000 lawsuit for defamation if she did not desist from talking about him.

The two have also opened crimen injuria cases against each other.’