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Johannesburg - An episode on unsafe steel rails at Gold Reef City that was flighted on investigative television programme Carte Blanche was defamatory, the South Gauteng High Court has found.
Judge Caroline Nicholls delivered the ruling on the matter on Wednesday. Gold Reef City was claiming R47m in damages for defamation.
The claim includes R43.1m in lost revenue for the theme park, R3.66m for the casino and R200 000 in general damages.
If awarded, the defamation claim will be the biggest in South African legal history.
Nicholls ruled that the programme flighted in March 2005 was “blatantly one-sided”.
Gold Reef City are entitled to damages, but the theme park and casino must prove to the court that it suffered damages up to R47m.
The drama started when technician Paul Boshoff approached Gold Reef City offering to conduct tests on their steel fun rides.
Boshoff did the tests and allegedly identified problems on the “Crazy Cocopan” and the “Golden Loop”, but was not paid what was agreed upon.
An angry Boshoff then approached the MNet show.
Gold Reef City argued that the story cost them millions of rands in lost revenue.
The theme park’s attorney, Robert Scott, declined to comment, saying he had to brief his client.
Carte Blanche executive producer and director George Mazarakis could not be reached for comment.
Judge Caroline Nicholls delivered the ruling on the matter on Wednesday. Gold Reef City was claiming R47m in damages for defamation.
The claim includes R43.1m in lost revenue for the theme park, R3.66m for the casino and R200 000 in general damages.
If awarded, the defamation claim will be the biggest in South African legal history.
Nicholls ruled that the programme flighted in March 2005 was “blatantly one-sided”.
Gold Reef City are entitled to damages, but the theme park and casino must prove to the court that it suffered damages up to R47m.
The drama started when technician Paul Boshoff approached Gold Reef City offering to conduct tests on their steel fun rides.
Boshoff did the tests and allegedly identified problems on the “Crazy Cocopan” and the “Golden Loop”, but was not paid what was agreed upon.
An angry Boshoff then approached the MNet show.
Gold Reef City argued that the story cost them millions of rands in lost revenue.
The theme park’s attorney, Robert Scott, declined to comment, saying he had to brief his client.
Carte Blanche executive producer and director George Mazarakis could not be reached for comment.
