‘What I said was true’: Zille refuses to apologise to Malema - TimesLIVE

DA mayoral candidate for Johannesburg Helen Zille has refused to apologise to EFF leader Julius Malema over allegations linking him to political interference in the affairs of the City of Johannesburg, insisting that what she said was true.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Zille said she had no intention of retracting her statements despite a legal demand from Malema’s lawyers.

“Because what I said was true,” she said when asked why she would not apologise.

When asked whether she was prepared to defend herself in court, Zille responded: “Yes, of course ... I mean, it’s all been published in books.”

Zille indicated she intended to pursue the matter if it proceeded to court, adding: “If he’s not in jail by then for firing firearms in public places.”

Malema, through his lawyers, sent Zille a letter of demand on Wednesday, calling on her to retract her statements and issue a public apology by close of business. The letter, sent by England Slabbert Attorneys Inc, accused Zille of making defamatory and unfounded allegations during an interview on Sunday.

Malema’s lawyers argued that the statements portrayed their client as dishonest and corrupt, and suggested he had abused his political influence to control public institutions and procurement processes for personal benefit.

The attorneys described the allegations as “vexatious, misplaced, spurious and untrue”. They demanded that Zille:

Malema’s legal team warned that failure to comply by the deadline could result in further legal action, including a claim for damages and an interdict preventing Zille from repeating the statements.