TS Galaxy formally approach High Court over Rulani Mokwena matter

In late April, following The Rockets’ 3-0 defeat away to Sundowns at Loftus Stadium in the DStv Premiership, Mokwena claimed there was a conspiracy to injure midfielder Bongani Zungu when the two sides met then. 

The player was taken off the pitch limping and needed three stitches on his ankle after a tackle by winger Orebotse Mongae, who was given a red card on the night – and Zungu hasn’t featured for Downs since. 

Clearly furious at the end of the match, Mokwena said in his television interview that he had received information that Ramovic had instructed Galaxy players to deliberately hurt Zungu because of a similar incident that led to striker Bernard Parker suffering a broken leg last year.

Zungu was involved in the tackle. 

SABC Sport has seen a summons to the High Court with Galaxy and Ramovic as a plaintiff, and Mokwena as the defendant. 

The Rockets have reiterated what was in their initial letter requesting an apology from Mokwena over remarks made during his post-match interview on 29 April, while now adding a damages claim for the coach's failure to respond.

“The impugning statements comprise untrue and defamatory statements pertaining to the Club and is indeed per se defamatory of the Club, its players, Head Coach, technical team, players, staff and management as well as its supporters,” read the document sent by Galaxy to Sundowns and Mokwena last month.

“In the circumstances, we are instructed to demand, as we hereby do, that Mr. Mokwena and, by extension, Sundowns immediately retract the impugning statements, and publish an unconditional, prominent and appropriate public apology (in the terms agreed to by the Club) in both videographic and written forms, which should be prominently published on all prominent football social and other media platforms (including that of Sundowns), be it print and/or electronic.” 

To add fuel to the fire, The Rockets have approached the Johannesburg High Court just hours before their league match against Sundowns at Mbombela Stadium this evening.

READ: The coach of the season would be me - Rulani Mokwena