Kenny Kunene Refuses to Apologise as Julius Malema Seeks R1 Million Over ‘Boy’ Remark
Patriotic Alliance deputy president Kenny Kunene has flatly refused to apologise to EFF leader Julius Malema, setting the stage for a high-stakes defamation battle over remarks made on a popular podcast.
The legal dispute originates from a February 2026 episode of Podcast and Chill with MacG. Malema is suing Kunene for R1 million, alleging defamation over two key claims . Firstly, Kunene referred to Malema as “a boy,” a term Malema’s legal team argues carries deeply offensive racial undertones given South Africa’s history . Secondly, Malema is challenging Kunene’s assertions that he would leave the home of businessman Adriano Mazzotti at night to meet the late taxi boss Jotham “Mswazi” Msibi, a figure linked to an alleged criminal syndicate known as the “Big Five” cartel .
Instead of backing down, Kunene has submitted an answering affidavit supported by witness statements . He claims his statements are substantially true and in the public interest, pointing out that Malema attended and spoke at Msibi’s funeral in 2024 .
“I want to put it on record that I have no intention of apologising to Mr Malema,” Kunene said in a statement, describing the lawsuit as a “shameless abuse of our courts” .
This is not the first such legal clash between the two; a court previously ordered Kunene to apologise for calling Malema a “cockroach” in a separate hate speech case . In that instance, the court ruled the term had “genocidal connotations” .
Kunene has indicated he is prepared for a protracted legal fight rather than a negotiated settlement .