Minister Sisulu clarifies outcome of her meeting with President Ramaphosa
20 January 2022
Minister Lindiwe Sisulu wishes to clarify what is, in her estimation, a deliberate misrepresentation by the President's media team regarding her meeting with the President.
The Minister confirms that indeed she on Wednesday met the President at his request for a consultation in which the President expressed discomfort with a particular aspect of her opinion piece published on 7 January 2022 under the title, "Hi Mzansi, have we seen justice".
After their engagement, in which the President took issue with the Minister's expression relating to the judiciary, the president proposed that a third person or intermediary assist the particular and solitary line the president had found an 'offensive' expression.
"We had a mature and sensible meeting and we thus concluded on good terms. In fact, yesterday (Thursday) the President called me and read the specific sentence as redesigned that he had found offensive. We ended our discussion on an amicable base, "said the Minister.
As is accepted and lifelong practice the Minister respects the Office of the Presidency and the President, however she wishes to record that she is troubled that the President's media team was deliberately mischievous in the statement issued as the Minister at no point in the conversation was firstly admonished or secondly expressed regrets resulting in agreeing to withdrew or apologize for her article, but agreed to reconsider the particular line relating to the judiciary which the President had raised issue with and was to share with her.
Issued on behalf of Minister LN Sisulu by Steve Motale and MLO Mpumzi Zuzile, Ministry of Tourism, Tourism House, Pretoria, 20 January 2022
