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Zahara says she plans to claim R3 million damages after True Love magazine linked her to drugs. The glossy put her as its January cover girl with the headline: “Zahara – Marriage, Drugs & Selling Records”, leaving her seething with anger.

While the interview inside is wide-ranging, she only mentions drugs once when she is asked about her drinking habit. The interviewer made reference to tabloid reports stating that her friends call her house a bottle store.

And Zahara replied that she wasn’t a saint. “I don’t drink in public because I respect my fans. I’ll never lie and say I don’t drink, I do. I’m of age and I’m allowed to.”

And then came the drugs reference: “I’ve never been on drugs either. I’m clean as a whistle. And that’s that.”

Zahara took to social media last month saying it was perhaps a “sick joke” to associate her with drugs.

Yesterday, the “Loliwe” hitmaker confirmed that she was planning to sue True Love for reputational damage.

“I am tired now so I have to start with True Love,” Zahara fumed.

“It’s misleading because when you read inside the magazine in the article there is nothing about drugs.

“They show everything including exclusive pictures of me and then outside because they want to make sales then they put drugs as a headline,” she said.

“Some people don’t have money to buy the magazine so they will just read the cover and make up their minds on me without reading the inside.”

A member of Zahara’s legal team, who didn’t want to be identified, confirmed that the star would be heading to court to clear her name.

“I was paging through the file yesterday and she is suing for defamation of character. Our office was closed for the festive season and we will be opening next Monday and that is when the matter will be taken forth with True Love being contacted.”

True Love magazine editorial assistant Khathu Thusi said the magazine would not comment on the matter. Entertainment lawyer Nkateko Maluleke agreed that Zahara had a leg to stand on.

“If you read the cover page of the magazine in line with the content of the interview, then the cover is misleading. At first sight, one would immediately think that as part of the interview Zahara discussed the drug issue in detail which is contrary to the one line ‘I’ve never been on drugs either’.” —Sowetan.