Malema stands firm on his ‘cowardly’ apology to Pandor, calling it ‘political speech’
Julius Malema has retracted his defamatory remarks about Naledi Pandor but fell short of admitting, “I lied and I am sorry.”
It appears that former Minister of International Relations Naledi Pandor will not receive a formal, public apology from Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
Last week, Pandor bemoaned that after Malema publicly accused her of receiving a home loan from the now-collapsed VBS Mutual Bank, he quietly recanted his statement via his lawyer and did not loudly apologise outright.
“What my lawyers received was a response from his lawyers. He has said he meant me no harm and while the words were harsh, I should take it that he meant no harm.
“He also undertakes that he will never make such a statement again but he doesn’t say that he lied. He says it was part of political discourse.
“I wish he had had the courage to stand up publicly and say he was wrong…,” Pandor told Newzroom Afrika’s Iman Rappetti.
“I believe he doesn’t have the courage to stand up,” Pandor responded when asked by Rappetti if she thought the muted retraction was “cowardly”.
On Thursday afternoon, Malema broached the subject. And although the EFF leader did not utter the words “I am sorry”, he did show some contrition for his defamatory statements about the newly elected chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Malema apologises (sort of) to Naledi Pandor
“I was making political engagement in that interview. It’s political speech. I raise her name and she clarified those things, that has never been involve [in VBS matters],” he said.
Malema said he had engaged with Pandor through their respective lawyers and had indicated that he “did not intend to pursue that line” any further.
” I don’t want to engage with her in a public spat. She’s one of the respectable former ministers of our country, who is at the forefront of fighting for the total liberation of Palestine.
“I did not say that to negatively impact her image,” Malema said.
Pandor shocked by EFF leader’s utterances
The day after Malema’s statement on 17 September, Pandor emphatically denied Malema’s allegations, calling them “baseless” and demanded that Malema retract his utterances and apologise.
“I unequivocally deny ever receiving such a bond and challenge Mr Malema to publicly present the evidence supporting this falsehood. Should he fail to do so, I demand a public apology for not only lying about me but tarnishing my reputation,” she said via a statement circulated on X (formerly Twitter).
Pandor added that he was disappointed in Malema’s dishonesty.
“As a leader of a political party represented in Parliament, I am deeply disappointed by Malema’s dishonesty. It is appalling that he would resort to such low tactics in an attempt to damage my good name,” Pandor said.