Sisulu's office insists no apology was issued to Ramaphosa over attack on judges

The Presidency issued a statement on Thursday evening after a meeting between Ramaphosa and Sisulu in Cape Town earlier this week during which Sisulu's open letter was discussed in which she criticised the judiciary.

In the statement by the Presidency, it's said that Sisulu conceded her words were inappropriate and retracted the statement.

"I accept that my column has levelled against the judiciary and African judges in particular unsubstantiated, gratuitous and deeply hurtful comments.

"I retract unequivocally my hurtful comments. I recognise that many women and men judges past and present have served their country in the judiciary with dedication and patriotism and some have made sterling sacrifices in the fight against apartheid and colonialism.

"I apologise for and regret the hurt I have caused the judiciary," the Presidency says these were Sisulu's words.

However, the minister then issued her own statement later on Thursday evening, slamming the presidency for what she says was a misinterpretation of what had really happened during the behind-closed-doors meeting.

 "I have just been informed of a media alert issued by the Presidency that apparently claims that I Lindiwe N. Sisulu retracted my original expression.

I wish to categorically disown this statement in its entirety as a misrepresentation of the said meeting I had with the president. The president and  I met on Wednesday at 9 pm at his house. In such a meeting, he shared his challenge with one aspect of the article on the judges. The president proposed an intermediary that would focus on the one line about the judges to resolve that. I awaited such to be communicated which would do nothing to the entire article," says Sisulu.

She adds that she never committed to any retraction or apology.

Meanwhile, the minister's spokesperson Steve Motale told SABC that Sisulu was still expecting further engagements with the president.

"The minister was still expecting further engagements from the President, and she is open to engagements from anybody but what has happened she finds unfortunate. That is why she is distancing herself from that statement. The insinuation that she has apologized, no she has not done that, she stands by what she has said and as far as she is concerned there is no need for an apology," said Motale.

The Presidency has since issued another statement insisting that Sisulu apologized and saying it too stands by the original statement.

 ALSO READ