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Louw Breytenbach slapped with gag order by Mr Gay World pageant organisers
The Mr Gay World Foundation wants Louw Breytenbach to retract statements made in public regarding his short tenure as the winner.
Louw Breytenbach, the new Mr Gay World 2021. Image: Facebook
After being slapped with a gag order by the local Mr Gay World Foundation, former Mr Gay World South Africa pageant winner Louw Breytenbach hired a lawyer to defend himself against the organisation.
Breytenbach confirmed the news in a statement issued earlier this week where he recounted being served with an order by the Mr Gay World Foundation who want him to retract statements made in public regarding his short tenure as the winner.
The former Mr Gay World title holder, TV Presenter and director resigned two months after being crowned citing a lack of transparency.
Breytenbach also alleged that the foundation is trying to force his publicist, Gavin Prins, to retract a press release that he sent to his media contact list about this in December last year.
Prins’ statement said Breytenbach’s relationship with Mr Gay World CEO, John-Louis O’Neil, and its chairperson, Johann van Niekerk, had deteriorated after Breytenbach refused to sign his contract resulting in a legal battle.
It is normal for winners of the title to be sent a contract, however, the TV presenter took issue with some of the contents of the contract.
The pair are being represented by advocate Quintin Steyn in an effort to oppose this order.
Steyn filed the respondents opposing affidavits last week.
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“I can hereby confirm that the Mr Gay World Foundation has served my clients, former Mr Gay World Louw Breytenbach and his publicist, Gavin Prins with an interdict application to seek a court order to have both retract and apologise in public for alleged defamatory statements made in the media.
“I can confirm that we have submitted our supplementary affidavit on behalf of Breytenbach and Prins,” said Steyn in a statement.
“I took on this case as I believe in the promotion of the LGBTQIA+ community and its growth. When politics are brought into the promotion of the community, it is not very healthy. It is important for the younger generation to promote a culture of acceptance,” he added.
Breytenbach also took the opportunity to reiterate his position.
“The reason I entered the Mr Gay SA and Mr Gay World competitions respectively, was never about the title. I am passionate about charity, the work I started even before the competitions.
“My intention was to use the platform to add a voice to the lgbtqia+ community, the Gates of Hope as well as Future Step. As winners, we tend to be blinded by the glitz and glam the contest brings.”
According to the TV presenter, “there are real problems out there and we as winners, need to get our hands dirty and work. My reason for resigning was never to tarnish the reputation of the organisation, but rather because of value differences.”
He shared his belief that the South African gay community is already broken and highlighted his intention to build the community through his activism.
“I was excited when I was crowned with lots of plans to build the gay community. But unfortunately, I could not achieve this dream,” said Breytenbach.
After he exited the title, it was taken over by Bonginkosi Ndima who also resigned shortly thereafter.
The Citizen reached out to the Mr Gay World South Africa Foundation for comment and had not yet received a response at the time of writing.
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