Jacob Zuma

=== Defamation lawsuits ===
By early 2006 during the rape trial, Zuma and his supporters complained of a concerted media plot to discredit him and harm his political career.<ref name="IOL-2006">{{Cite web|date=2006-03-27|title=Zuma team to ask for discharge|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/zuma-team-to-ask-for-discharge-270865|access-date=2022-01-11|website=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]]|language=en}}</ref> In March, he appointed a legal team, including former [[Conservative Party (South Africa)|Conservative Party]] politician Jurg Prinsloo and advocate Wycliffe Mothuloe, to fight his "crucifixion by the media".<ref name="Mail & Guardian-2006"/><ref name="IOL-2006"/> Among his targets was the ''Sowetan,'' whom he told that the media, at the instruction of Ngcuka of the NPA and former Justice Minister [[Penuell Maduna]], was trying to "crucify" him. The newspaper had printed the interview under the headline "I'm like Christ – Zuma".<ref name="IOL-2006"/> In June and July 2006, Zuma filed a series of [[defamation]] lawsuits against various South African media outlets for publishing content that allegedly besmirched his public profile in the form of cartoons, commentary, photos and parody pieces. The defendants included the ''[[The Star (South Africa)|Star]]'' (sued for R20 million), [[Rapport (newspaper)|''Rapport'']] (R10 million), [[94.7 Highveld Stereo|Highveld Stereo]] (R7 million), the ''[[Sunday Times (South Africa)|Sunday Times]]'' (R6 million), the ''[[The Citizen (South Africa)|Citizen]]'' (R5 million), the ''Sunday Sun'' (R5 million), the ''[[Sunday Independent (South Africa)|Sunday Independent]]'' (R5 million), and the ''Sunday World'' (R5 million).<ref>{{cite news|date=4 July 2006|title=Zuma defamation claim 'largest in SA history'|work=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|Independent Online]]|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/zuma-defamation-claim-largest-in-sa-history-284142|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217201122/https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/zuma-defamation-claim-largest-in-sa-history-284142|archive-date=17 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2006-07-04|title=Zuma defamation claim 'largest in SA history'|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/zuma-defamation-claim-largest-in-sa-history-284142|access-date=2022-01-11|website=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]]|language=en}}</ref> Zuma said in 2005:<blockquote>For a period of five years my person has been subjected to all types of allegations and innuendo, paraded through the media and other corridors of influence without these allegations {{sic|having being}} tested. I have thereby been denied my constitutional right to reply and defend myself.<ref>{{cite web|date=29 June 2005|title=Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust|url=http://www.friendsofjz.co.za/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210203520/http://www.friendsofjz.co.za/|archive-date=10 February 2010|access-date=15 September 2010}}</ref></blockquote>In December 2008, Zuma sued Zapiro for R7 million over his controversial [[Rape of Lady Justice cartoon controversy|rape of Lady Justice]] cartoon,<ref name="dmc3" /> bringing the total value of the defamation lawsuits to at least R70 million, an unprecedented figure in South African law.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Smith|first=Janet|date=2008-12-19|title=Zuma exacts defamation action on media|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/zuma-exacts-defamation-action-on-media-429327|access-date=2022-01-11|website=[[Independent Online (South Africa)|IOL]]|language=en}}</ref> Many of the suits were withdrawn or settled out of court. ''Rapport'' settled for R50,000 over a defamatory reader's letter, and the British ''[[The Guardian|Guardian]]'' newspaper also paid Zuma substantial damages over defamatory statements.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Louw|first=Raymond|date=2012-11-12|title=Was Zuma's cartoon case an attempt to intimidate media?|url=https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/2012-11-12-was-zumas-cartoon-case-an-attempt-to-intimidate-media/|access-date=2022-01-11|website=Business Day|language=en-ZA}}</ref>