Malema refuses to apologise

2008-06-19 13:59

Johannesburg - ANC Youth League president Julius Malema refused to apologise on Thursday for his controversial "kill for Zuma" remark, and accused the media of distorting his words.

"We never meant literally that people should be killed. We never called on anybody to immediately take up arms," he told reporters in Johannesburg.

Asked whether he would apologise for the statement made at a Bloemfontein rally at the weekend, Malema replied: "Why do you apologise for something you did not mean."

However Malema did say that he would never use the word kill in a speech again.

"After this exercise I will never repeat the word 'kill'. I will find a creative way to say I will do anything to protect comrade Zuma."

Malema said ANC president Jacob Zuma approached him after the speech and asked him to explain his statement, for which the Human Rights Commission has since requested an apology.

"The president of the ANC said to me that was a heavy statement and I had to provide some explanation ... the president was shaken by the statement," he said.

Malema, at the rally, said the Youth League was "prepared to die for Zuma. We are prepared to take up arms and kill for Zuma".

But, he said, media reports on his speech were "blown out of proportion with a clear malicious intent and consequence".

"We have noticed a distortion, misinterpretation, vulgar insults and defamatory comments which have been hurled against ANC Youth League".

Malema said it was all part of a political agenda to discredit the Youth League.

- SAPA