Khawula had previously refused to apologise to the couple.
EFF leader Julius Malema and celebrity blogger Musa Khawula. Pictures: Facebook/Economic Freedom Fighters/Gallo Images/Luba Lesolle
Controversial blogger Musa Khawula has issued a public apology to EFF leader Julius Malema and his wife, Mantoa Matlala Malema.
The apology follows an order by the High Court in Johannesburg requiring Khawula to apologise for social media posts in which he alleged that the couple’s marriage had ended because of Malema’s infidelity.
‘My posts were wrongful and unlawful’
In a statement issued on Saturday, Khawula said the posts he published on his verified X account on February 26 were false.
“The statements that I made in my posts were false, unverified unjustified and defamatory of Mr Julius Sello Malema and Mrs Mantoa Matlala Malema,” he wrote.
He added: “I accept that Mr and Mrs Malema remain married, that no divorce proceedings have been instituted, that the allegations of infidelity are false, and that no payment or attempted payment was ever made to me by Mr Malema or by anyone acting on his behalf.”
Khawula admitted that he made the claims without evidence and presented them as fact.
“I unreservedly withdraw my posts with immediate effect,” he said.
“I accept that my posts were wrongful and unlawful and had a hurtful, harmful and defamatory effect on Mr Julius Sello Malema and Mrs Mantoa Matlala Malema,” he added.
Khawula had previously refused to apologise to the couple after Malema filed papers in the High Court in April this year.
In May, the High Court found Khawula in contempt of an order issued in April.
“It is declared that the first respondent is in wilful contempt of the order granted by this Honourable Court, per Justice Wright, dated 14 April 2026,” the order stated.
The court sentenced Khawula to 30 days’ imprisonment, suspended for 30 days on condition that he complied with the earlier order.
“The first respondent is directed, within 48 hours of such lapse, to submit himself to the closest South African Police Service station and to hand himself over for the execution of the sentence,” the order stated.
Khawula previously spent time in custody in connection with separate social media posts involving Vusimuzi “Cat” Matlala, Fikile Mbalula and Ze Nxumalo.
