Legal Document Archive

The Lewis v Media24 Case: A Digital Archive

For a comprehensive timeline view of this 18-year legal saga across multiple courts and jurisdictions, see the Legal Archive Timeline.

This comprehensive archive documents the legal battle between David Robert Lewis and Media24, representing a significant case in South African media law and press freedom. The documents are organized chronologically and by type to provide clear insight into the proceedings.

Court Transcripts

Case Background: C88/07

The case C88/07 represents the formal legal proceedings in the Western Cape High Court. These transcripts provide verbatim records of court sessions.

Volume 1 - November 4, 2009

• Transcripts Index - Master index of all court transcripts
• Volume 1 Full Proceedings - Complete transcript of November 4, 2009 session
• Volume 1 Front Pages - Cover pages and case details

Volume 2 - November 5, 2009

• Volume 2 Full Proceedings - Complete transcript of November 5, 2009 session
• Volume 2 Front Pages - Cover pages and case details
• Letter to Chief Registrar (Vol 2) - Official correspondence regarding proceedings

Volume 3 - November 6, 2009

• Volume 3 Full Proceedings - Complete transcript of November 6, 2009 session
• Volume 3 Front Pages - Cover pages and case details
• Letter to Chief Registrar (Vol 3) - Official correspondence regarding proceedings

Volume 4 - January 20-21, 2010

• Volume 4 Full Proceedings - Complete transcript of January 20, 2010 session
• Volume 4 Front Pages - Cover pages and case details
• Letter to Chief Registrar (Vol 4) - Official correspondence regarding proceedings

Volume 5 - January 21, 2010

• Volume 5 Full Proceedings - Complete transcript of January 21, 2010 session

Expert Reports

• Cheadle Report to Cape Law Society - Expert legal opinion by Professor Halton Cheadle (September 6, 2011)

Legal Documents

Primary Affidavits

Founding Documents

• Founding Affidavit - The initial legal document that started the case, outlining the core allegations and legal basis
• Annexures PAJA-3 - Supporting annexures under the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act

Supplementary Affidavits

• Affidavit - November 20, 2017 Addendum - Additional evidence and clarifications submitted in 2017
• Third Supplementary Affidavit - Perjury A Dean - Allegations of perjury against A. Dean
• Founding Affidavit - Perjury A Dean - Initial perjury allegations documentation

Academic and Professional Responses

• Professor Lesley Cowling Rejects Plagiarism Accusation - Academic response to allegations made in the case

Investigative Reports

• Trace Report - A Dean - Investigative trace report regarding A. Dean (May 2024)

Legal Correspondence

Media24/Naspers Related

• CBC Kahanovitz Supplement Affidavit - Supplementary affidavit by CBC Kahanovitz (May 9, 2017)
• Letter to Naspers - Copyright Protection - Legal notice regarding copyright protection (July 26, 2016)
• Gmail - Lewis/Naspers Copyright Protection - Email correspondence regarding copyright issues
• Naspers Ltd and Media24 Copyright Protection - Comprehensive document on copyright protection issues

Government and Regulatory Correspondence

• Letter to Maserumule - Official correspondence to regulatory authorities (October 12, 2016)

Legal Professional Correspondence

• Gagging Letter - JS De Villiers - Legal correspondence regarding restrictions (June 26, 2006)
• FXI Letter to Hein Brand - Freedom of Expression Institute correspondence (August 29, 2006)

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Documents

• TRC Unit - September 28, 2006 - TRC-related documentation
• TRC Unit - October 26, 2006 - Follow-up TRC documentation
• TRC Unit - September 26, 2007 - Final TRC-related documentation

Additional Documentation

• DOC065-1 - Additional supporting documentation

Case Significance

This case represents a landmark challenge to media practices in South Africa, touching on:

• Press Freedom: The right to challenge media narratives
• Copyright Law: Protection of intellectual property in digital media
• Administrative Justice: Proper procedures in media regulation
• Academic Freedom: The intersection of journalism and academic integrity
• Truth and Reconciliation: Ongoing issues from South Africa's transition

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Archive Maintained By: Medialternatives
Last Updated: 2024-12-29
Contact: For questions about this archive, please contact through the official channels listed on the main website.