Julius Malema Agrees to Apologise to Judge Keoagile Matojane in Parliament, South African Weigh In

• Parliament's Ethics Committee has made a ruling regarding Julius Malema's conduct toward Judge Keoagile Matojane
• The Economic Freedom Fighters leader questioned the Supreme Court of Appeal Judge about a 2019 ruling
• South Africans weighed in on Parliament's Ethics Committee's ruling, sharing mixed reactions to the news

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

WESTERN CAPE - Julius Malema has agreed to formally apologise to Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Keoagile Matojane in Parliament.

The decision comes after the Economic Freedom Fighters leader exhausted all available legal challenges to block the ruling that compelled him to do so. The apology stems from Malema's conduct during Judge Matojane's April 2021 JSC interview for a seat on the Supreme Court of Appeal.

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Malema questioned the judge about a 2019 High Court ruling in which Matojane had ordered Malema and the EFF to pay former Finance Minister Trevor Manuel R500,000 in damages. That ruling followed a tweet in which the EFF suggested Manuel had overseen a corrupt and nepotistic process in appointing former SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter.

Ethics Committee finds Malema in breach

Following a complaint from the Council for the Advancement of the South African Constitution, Parliament's Ethics Committee found in 2021 that Malema had breached the Code of Ethical Conduct by using the JSC platform to question a judge about a live matter in which he and his party held a direct personal interest. The committee ordered him to apologise to Judge Matojane.

Malema subsequently approached the Western Cape High Court to interdict Parliament's ruling pending a review. The review concluded in 2025, with the court dismissing all five grounds of his challenge.

Malema to apologise in September

Earlier this year, Speaker Thoko Didiza instructed Malema to submit the apology by February, warning that failure to comply could result in contempt of Parliament proceedings. When Malema did not meet that deadline, the Powers and Privileges Committee intervened.

A formal legal letter was subsequently issued, and Malema has now confirmed his agreement to proceed. He is expected to liaise with Speaker Didiza to arrange the formal apology on the floor of the House no later than 30 September 2026.

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How did South Africans react?

Social media users weighed in on the announcement, sharing mixed reactions to it.

Chris Reitz said:

"CIC Malema is always steps ahead of non-thinkers."

Khabako Cebi Angie added:

"Sometimes silence is best."

Rudiboy Saayman joked:

"Shame, leave that guy. Look at him. Afriform finished him. He is just skin and bones. Let him rest a bit, man."

Invalidated Invalidated claimed:

"A man of integrity."

Moss Omhitlhetse Molokoane said:

"Yes, like Dada apologised."

Malema to face criminal charges

Briefly News reported that AfriForum's Private Prosecution Unit convinced the NPA to prosecute Malema for crimen injuria.

Malema made the false rape allegation against former Bergview College principal Jaco Pieterse at a public event in April 2025

The NPA had previously declined to prosecute anyone over the alleged rape after medical and forensic examinations found no evidence

Source: Briefly News