Man drags businessman to court over racial slur

Mr Tshuma wants to be paid $6 000 in defamation damages emerging from the defendant (Mr Khalid’s) utterances towards him on 9 March this year.

He states that Mr Khalid allegedly referred to him as a kaffir, a word used to disparage and insult black people.

It is his contention that the words mean that he is of low class and esteem and not worth any respect.

He says the words were allegedly uttered in front of Mr Khalid’s employees and other customers.

“Defendant held plaintiff (Mr Tshuma) by the collar of his shirt and called him a kaffir following a short circuit of a plug in his shop caused by his employees.

“Plaintiff was demeaned and humiliated as a result of defendant’s utterances and treatment and suffered damages to the extent of $6 000,” reads the particulars filed by Mr Tshuma’s lawyer, Mr Godfrey Nyoni, of Moyo and Nyoni Legal Practitioners.

He states that despite demand, Mr Khalid has failed to pay.

Mr Tshuma wants an additional payment of $2 000 in respect of damages for the assault inflicted on him by Mr Khalid. He alleges that Mr Khalid wrongfully and unlawfully held him by the collar of his shirt in his (Mr Khalid’s) shop and started attempting to lift him up and push him while uttering that he was a kaffir.

Mr Tshuma wants Mr Khalid to pay interest of five percent per annum from the date of summons to the date of full payment. He further wants Mr Khalid to pay the costs of the suit.

Mr Khalid has 10 working days in which to enter an appearance to defend failure to which the matter would be set down as an unopposed matter.