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Pietermaritzburg - The KwaZulu-Natal High Court on Wednesday granted an urgent interim order to Media24's distributors On the Dot to stop a dismissed worker from allegedly sabotaging its Pietermaritzburg operations.
Judge Yvonne Mbatha gave the former employee until 3 September to argue why the order should not be made final.
In court papers, Hein Appel from On the Dot in Cape Town alleges former regional representative Mnyamezeli Mntaka intercepted and destroyed magazines and printed advertisements.
Mntaka, although dismissed for using On the Dot's facilities for himself, had recently disrupted magazine and other publication distributions.
He allegedly did so because he was not reinstated to his former position or given a settlement. Mntaka's appeal against his dismissal failed.
An informant told On the Dot that on 12 July, Mntaka dumped a large stack of leaflets and papers which were meant to be distributed by On the Dot.
The informant tried to lay a charge against Mntaka but a police officer told him he could not institute a complaint against Mntaka as he (the informant) had not been harmed.
The advertisements of several leading businesses had therefore not been distributed.
A Pietermaritzburg city councillor complained that a parcel of magazines and pamphlets had been dumped in a storm drain, which would cause blockages when it rained.
Mntaka allegedly told a business that On the Dot had dumped the consignment. He e-mailed the Audit Bureau of Circulations that On the Dot's circulation figures were incorrect.
