Malusi Gigaba breaks his silence over affair rumours

Johannesburg - Home Affairs Minister, Malusi Gigaba on Tuesday slammed claims of an affair through a statement on social media.

Speaking out for the first time since the rumours began doing the rounds online a few months back, Malusi labelled the claims as "defamation," and  "an unhealthy obsession with my family."

Reports of the alleged affair between the minister and fashionista, Buhle Mkhize came to light a few months ago, after an apparent feud between Buhle and Malusi's wife, Norma went viral on social media. 

During the public Twitter feud, Norma and Buhle went head-to-head on the social media platform, with both women hurling insults at each other. (Read more on that here)

The matter came into the spotlight again this week when an open letter written by Buhle caused a social media storm. In the letter, Buhle claimed she had an affair with Malusi, and that he tried to buy her silence (read the letter here).

Just after the open letter surfaced, the minister took to social media to address the issue. 

"I did not want to address this as more pertinent issues such as building my family and serving my country are much more important. However, the source of this defamation has developed an unhealthy obsession with my family," Malusi said. 

Adding that his family has tried to "be graceful and be above the attention seeking slander."

However, Malusi added that the claims have only intensified.

"My family, in particular my wife, have been subjected to a protracted campaign of public embarrassment and cyber harassment. I could retort to exposing the fabrications and blatant inconsistencies in these allegations but I can only blame myself for befriending a person who had sinister motives," he stated.

"I regret exposing my family to such an individual but truly can only blame myself. The defamation has left me no option but to speak out and seek legal remedies to protect my loved ones. We have been subjected to enough stalking and defamation," he adds.

Malusi says his priorities are to serve his country and family, and that this will not change in the face of the allegations.

As my wife stated previously: "We have moved on as a family and hope that everyone else will do the same," Malusi concluded.

Read the full statement here:

I did not want to address this as more pertinent issues such as building my family and serving my country are much more important. However, the source of this defamation has developed an unhealthy obsession with my family. The more my family and I have attempted to be graceful and be above the attention seeking slander, the more it has intensified. My family , in particular wife, have been subjected to a protracted campaign of public embarrassment and cyber harassment. I could retort to exposing the fabrications and blatant inconsistencies in these allegations but I can only blame myself for befriending a person who had sinister motives. I regret exposing my family to such an individual but truly can only blame myself. The defamation has left me no option but to speak out and seek legal remedies to protect my loved ones. We have been subjected to enough stalking and defamation. I place on record that my priorities are serving my country and being a family man - these two decisions are the proudest I have ever made. I have pledged my life to my wife, children, movement and my country. This will not change. As my wife stated previously: We have moved on as a family and hope that everyone else will do the same."

A photo posted by Mr Gigabyte (@malusi_gigaba) on Nov 30, 2015 at 10:52pm PST