By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Tourism Minister Lindiwe Sisulu has distanced herself from the statement released by the Presidency.
The Presidency had earlier issued a statement, which said President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Sisulu earlier this week and admonished her.
The statement quoted Sisulu as saying that she accepted her comments were “unsubstantiated, gratuitous and deeply hurtful”.
But Sisulu set the record straight.
“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 21:00 at his house,” she said in a statement.
“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.
“Under no circumstances did I commit to any retraction or apology since I stand by what I penned. The content of the president’s statement in its current form is unfortunate as it is not what we agreed on. In this regard, I wish to distance myself from such.”
Her statement read:
To all Media Houses
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.
Under no circumstances did I commit to any retraction or apology since I stand by what I penned.
The content of the president’s statement in its current form is unfortunate as it is not what we agreed on. In this regard, I wish to distance myself from such.
I will in the next 24 hours issue a full statement.
Lindiwe N. Sisulu
She said she would issue a full statement in the next 24 hours.
PRESIDENCY STANDS BY STATEMENT ON MINISTER OF TOURISM
The Presidency stands by its statement earlier this evening, 20 January 2022, on a discussion between President @CyrilRamaphosa and Minister of Tourism Ms Lindiwe Sisulu.
— Presidency | South Africa ?? (@PresidencyZA) January 20, 2022
Meanwhile the Presidency says it stands by its statement earlier this evening, 20 January 2022, on a discussion between Ramaphosa and Sisulu.