Court Finds Musa Khawula in Contempt Over Malema Claims

The South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg has ruled that controversial blogger Musa Khawula is in contempt of court after he failed to apologise to Julius Malema and his wife, Mantoa Matlala-Malema.

The ruling follows an earlier court directive ordering Khawula to retract and apologise for defamatory remarks he made about the couple on social media. Despite the order, Khawula refused to comply.

As a result, the court handed down a 30-day direct imprisonment sentence, wholly suspended for 30 days on condition that he adheres to the court’s instruction. Should he fail to comply within that period, he faces arrest and enforcement of the sentence.

The matter stems from allegations made in February 2026, when Khawula claimed that Malema and his wife were heading for a divorce after more than a decade of marriage. In his posts, he alleged that Matlala-Malema had grown weary of her husband’s alleged infidelity and intended to leave what he described as a “stressful marriage.”
The court found these statements to be both unlawful and defamatory, ruling that they caused reputational harm to the couple.

In a move that further aggravated the situation, Khawula appeared to mock the court’s order. Instead of issuing an apology, he shared a clip from the song “Sorry” by Beyoncé, prominently featuring the repeated lyric “I ain’t sorry.”
He accompanied the post with a message directed at Malema, sarcastically stating: “Hi @Julius_S_Malema baby, please find the attached statement for your earliest convenience.”

Khawula doubled down on his stance, insisting he stood by his claims and would not apologise, despite the legal consequences hanging over him.

The case highlights the growing scrutiny around social media commentary and the legal risks of publishing unverified or defamatory claims online.