Julius Malema Demands Apology From Helen Zille Over Corruption Claims
Julius Malema has threatened legal action against Helen Zille after she alleged he captured city tenders and influenced mayoral appointments in Johannesburg.
Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has demanded a public apology and retraction from Democratic Alliance mayoral candidate Helen Zille following allegations of political interference in Johannesburg. The dispute stems from a November 8 interview with eNCA, where Zille claimed that former mayor Herman Mashaba allowed Malema to dictate major city decisions and capture City Power to benefit Malema and his front companies.
Zille further alleged that Malema influenced the city's fleet tender and directed the appointment of Shadrack Sibiya as head of the anti-corruption unit. Malema's legal team, England Slabbert Attorneys Inc, described these claims as vexatious and spurious, asserting that Zille acted in bad faith to inflict political damage on the EFF. Lawyer Angelike Charalambous issued a formal demand for Zille to retract the statements across her social media platforms and via a press statement by November 11, 2026.
Zille has publicly refused to apologize, maintaining that her statements are true and citing published books as evidence. She indicated she is prepared to defend her claims in court. While Malema has rejected the allegations as defamatory, Herman Mashaba stated he would not entertain the comments.
