Nonhle Thema tweets lead to R85 000 lawsuit

Controversial South African tabloid favourite Nonhle Thema, courtesy of another of her Twitter tirades, has landed in hot water to the tune of ZAR85 000.

According to the City Press, Thema is being sued by LeBlerh Artist Management and Brand Activators on the grounds that statements Thema made on Twitter constituted the defamation of their client, television presenter Minenhle Dlamini.

Thema had sent out tweets to her more than 70 000 followers calling Dlamini a classless drunken nightclub brawler following a physical altercation at a Johannesburg nightclub involving Dlamini.

In a press statement issued to South African news and entertainment site JucyAfrica, LeBlergh maintain that “we do not entertain any of our artists being brought to disrepute on any medium”.

Thema is well known amongst South African Twitter users for her tweets which can veer from the near-on unintelligible to the downright bizarre. This has led to her gaining a reputation as South Africa’s answer to Charlie Sheen.

Both Thema and Dlamini rose to prominence in South Africa’s entertainment scene after presenting music television shows.

Thema has hosted a number of shows in her short career and has starred in a reality television series. She was also the global brand ambassador for beauty product manufacturer, Dark and Lovely. Her Twitter rants, which have increased in frequency as the year has gone by, however, have seen her lose television jobs and the deal with Dark and Lovely.