ANC Nelson Mandela Bay councillor, Lawrence Troon, has been ordered by a court to apologise unconditionally to Executive Mayor, Athol Trollip.
In the apology, made an order of the court in the Grahamstown High Court on Friday, Troon unconditionally withdrew allegations of gross human rights abuses, racism, cruelty and exploitation that he had levelled against the mayor.
He said the allegations were made after he received statements from eight former farm workers of Trollip who had made the allegations against him.
Troon further agreed to withdraw claims of violence, land dispossession and abandonment against the executive mayor.
Trollip, who withdrew his R5m suit against Troon, said the allegations against him were part of a smear campaign ahead of the 2016 local government election.
He said he had always wanted his good name and reputation to be restored.
“The court order to apologise is an important precedent that should be noted by all politicians that they should not and cannot be allowed to do and say as they please in order to besmirch political opponents and maliciously defame them with impunity,” he said.
