EFF leader Julius Malema has apologised to President Cyril Ramaphosa for accusing him of physically abusing his late wife Nomazizi Mtshotshisa.
This after Ramaphosa extended an olive branch to Malema after ANC MP Boy Mamabolo, during a state of the nation address (Sona) debate, accused Malema of abusing his wife.
In his apology statement, Malema said his retaliation was a desperate act of personal defence.
Here are six quotes from Malema's apology.
No protection from presiding officers
“Following President Ramaphosa's apology to my wife and family, I stood in parliament to return the same hand to him, his departed wife, Nomazizi, and his entire family.
“I was, however, drowned down by ruling party benches without any protection from presiding officers.”
Harmful comments
“My wife was assaulted through terrible, malicious and harmful comments by an ANC MP during Sona last week. The same harmful comments were repeated in the media by the same ANC MP.
“The same ANC MP stood once more and made the same comments during the debate, five days after the initial moment during the Sona. Still, the EFF did nothing to dignify these comments with a response.”
Ramaphosa did nothing
“It was at this stage that my response to the Sona was disrupted through many points of order, demanding that I give dignity to the harmful comments about my wife with a response.
“On all these occasions the ANC, in particular, the president did nothing, despite the fact that when the ANC member concerned fired at me and my wife, he stood, on all occasions, right next to the president and ANC Chief Whip [Pemmy Majodina].”
Abuse denial
“Nevertheless, I complied and answered the question with all the truthfulness I could master and under oath. I would like to reiterate that I have never laid a hand on my wife or any other woman in my life.
“If there should be evidence produced to dispute my claim, even as minute as a molecule, I will be prepared to resign as an MP and president of the EFF. This I will do before the matter can serve in a competent court of law.”
ANC mobilising members to use GBV as an attack
“To this extent, it is fair to read the actions of this ANC MP as a collective action by the entire ANC using the person of my wife, malicious and harmful gender-based violence (GBV) allegations, to settle a political score.
“No other reading is possible, because the allegations were repeated more than once, and on more than one sitting.”
Well, I am sorry
“It was therefore in a desperate act of personal defence, which I now regret because of how critical the matter of GBV is for all of us as a country.
“I also would like to apologise to all South Africans who were offended in the process, in particular victims of GBV.”
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