The EFF has been ordered to apologise to former Finance minister Trevor Manuel for defamation and peddling false information against him.

This is in connection with a March, 27 statement released by the EFF in which the political party accused Manuel of nepotism, corruption and conducting secret interviews in the selection process of the commissioner of the South African Revenue Services (Sars) which saw Edward Kieswetter being appointed as the revenue services boss.

The EFF claimed that Manuel had a close personal and business relationship with Kieswetter.

Justice Elias Matojane ruled that the EFF’s remarks were defamatory, false and ordered the party to not only remove the statement, published on Twitter, but to also offer an unconditional apology within 24 hours.

The EFF, its spokesperson Mbuyiseni Ndlozi and its president Julius Malema have also been ordered to jointly pay Manuel R500,000 in damages. They must also pay his legal fees on an “attorney and client scale”.

Manuel plans to donate the R500 000 to a charitable organisation.