By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu believes that the Presidency’s media team was at fault for being deliberately mischievous in its statement by misrepresenting her recent meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This follows Thursday night’s drama, in which the Presidency claimed Ramaphosa had admonished Sisulu during their meeting in Cape Town on Wednesday about her controversial op-ed, criticising the constitution and judiciary.
In her latest statement on Friday, Sisulu said she was troubled that Ramaphosa’s media team was “deliberately mischievous” in the statement issued by the Presidency on Thursday night.
“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 withdraw or apologise for her article, but agreed to reconsider the particular line relating to the judiciary which the President had raised the issue with and was to share with her,” reads Sisulu’s latest statement on Friday.
While the minister maintained she had been deliberately misquoted in the Presidency’s statement, she did concede that a respectful consultation with Ramaphosa did take place on Wednesday.
“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 and 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,” read the statement.
? Media Statement ? pic.twitter.com/QczNgHR1zd
— Lindiwe Sisulu (@LindiweSisuluSA) January 21, 2022
Sisulu’s objections come after the Presidency on Thursday released a statement saying Ramaphosa had met with her and admonished her over her attack on the judiciary, following which, the minister had then retracted her sentiments.
Despite this subsequent statement by Sisulu, the office of the Presidency said, through yet another statement, that it stood by its initial statement.