Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has brushed off his statements, alleging that former International Relations and Cooperation minister Dr Naledi Pandor received a bond loan from the now-defunct VBS Mutual Bank, as “political engagement.”

In a media briefing in Marshalltown this week, Malema clarified his statements, and said that they were political, rather than defamatory.

“Shame Mama Naledi, I was just making a political engagement in that interview. It was a political speech and I raised her name, and she clarified those things that she has never been involved in those things and all of that.”

Malema acknowledged Pandor’s denial of being involved in the VBS saga and stated that he had responded to her public apology by saying: “I respect you so much and I have accepted the explanation you have given, and I don't intend to pursue that line, because now there’s more clarity on what really transpired.”

Malema told the media that he wants to avoid conflict with Pandor, stressing that she’s a respectable former minister of the country.

“She’s a former minister who was at the forefront of fighting the struggles for the total liberation of the Palestine. Why would I want to go into confrontation with such a person? he asked.

He repeatedly expressed that his statements were not intended at negatively damaging Pandor’s reputation, but that he was engaging in a political manner.

He said Pandor told him that he was wrong.

“She said she was not involved in the way that I was describing it and she did not know what I was talking about. I accepted that. That’s a political engagement, that’s how it works.”

Malema maintained that his statements are protected under South Africa's constitutional provision for political speech.

“Political speeches are presented differently from how lectures are presented in lecture halls. So, we can't, when we are engaged in political speech, always threaten each other with letters.”

Malema said he had accepted the clarification from Pandor and he does not intend on being involved in arguments concerning the issue.

“If she wants to pursue it, that’s her own issue…but, I am not in that space anymore,” said Malema.

In the interview with SABC last month, Malema claimed that Pandor was involved in the collapse of the bank.

“Naledi Pandor was also in the VBS bond or something ... Yes, she was there, they are your darlings, you’ll never know their names. You know the names of those you don’t like. To demonstrate there is no principle, many names, a lot of names are there. This is just used to blackmail people.”

IOL reported that the former minister had strongly refuted allegations made by Malema, with Pandor describing the allegations as baseless.

On October 2, Pandor said Malema lacks the courage to admit that he lied against her.

“On September 17, 2024, on a live TV programme, Mr Julius Malema lied about me severely injuring my dignity and good name. He told his TV host that I had received a VBS loan. I have never applied for nor received a VBS loan,” said Pandor.

“I instructed my attorneys to demand that Mr Malema retract the personally offensive, untrue statement and issue a public apology knowing that he had lied,” she said.

Pandor said Malema’s legal representatives insist their client denies the defamation claim.

“On Mr Malema’s behalf, they make the following claim, amongst others, that: ‘Our client denies that he unlawfully and intentionally defamed your client’,” said Pandor.

“Furthermore, and oddly enough, they remark that: ‘While our client understands that his remarks may have been perceived as harsh, they were intended to contribute to the public conversation around the VBS scandal rather than harm your client (Pandor).”

Pandor said: “Whilst I have no intention to canvas the full contents of his attorney’s correspondence, suffice to say that it patently indicates that Mr Malema was flying a kite by his scurrilous and vicious attack on my person.”

The former minister indicated that she was still demanding an apology.

“In the circumstances, I wish that Mr Malema shows the courage to retract the false statement and issue a public apology to the South African public and my family in whose eyes he falsely and with deliberate intent chose to irreparably lower my good standing and additionally impair my dignity,” said Pandor.

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