When True Love magazine released the cover of its January 2017 cover featuring local singer Zahara, there was an outcry on social media over the cover line, which read "Zahara. Marriage, Drugs & Selling Records," giving the impression that she was speaking about her own drug use. Now, the award-winning musician is reportedly following through on her threat of legal action. According to The Sowetan, the songstress plans to sue True Love for R3 million.
True Love is the latest South African publication to publish misleading information about Zahara and it appears she's ready to fight back. "I am tired now so I have to start with True Love," Zahara told The Sowetan.
Zahara had earlier described the headline as "utterly tasteless and misleading" and said that if the magazine did not retract the cover line she would be taking legal action against it.
According to TshisaLIVE, Zahara had asked for the cover to be recalled and said that if she found any magazines on a shelf, she would sue.
The Loliwe singer reportedly told the Sowetan that the headline was "misleading because when you read inside the magazine in the article there is nothing about drugs". In fact, the only time Zahara mentioned drugs in the story was when she said "I've never been on drugs either."
Entertainment lawyer Nkateko Maluleke told the Sowetan that he thought the cover line was misleading and that Zahara would have a case to make, should she choose to go ahead with legal action against the magazine.
Speaking to The Huffington Post South Africa in the days following the incident, True Love editor Dudu Leshabane said that the magazine and its publishers stand by the cover, and chose not to apologise nor issue a statement about the incident in order to protect the brand.