Kubayi fires back over ‘cranberries’ controversy as she threatens legal action against those Claims

South Africa’s Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has rejected claims that she threatened to have the March and March Movement “squeezed like cranberries” after the local government elections, insisting that the phrase came from a journalist during an interview.

The controversy follows the circulation of a clip from a doorstep interview at the ANC’s Siyanqoba Rally in the Eastern Cape. In the exchange, SABC journalist Samkele Maseko asked Kubayi a question referring to the March and March Movement being “squeezed like cranberries”.

However, the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development says the wording was used by the journalist in his question and was not a statement made by the minister. Kubayi has rejected claims attributing the phrase to her.

The minister’s position is that the circulating interpretation misrepresents what happened during the interview. In a media statement issued on Friday, 6 November 2026, the ministry said any suggestion that Kubayi uttered those words was false and misleading.

The dispute has now moved beyond the interview, with Kubayi deciding to pursue legal action against the person behind a Facebook account operating under the name “Baas Kruger”. The ministry alleges that the account has repeatedly published false claims about the minister and continued to spread information it considers damaging to her reputation.

According to the statement, the decision follows appeals for the account operator to stop publishing the disputed allegations. The ministry described the conduct as cyberbullying and said legal steps were being taken to protect Kubayi’s dignity and reputation.

The statement made clear that the minister accepts she must remain accountable for her public statements. However, it argued that accountability should not mean accepting responsibility for words she says she never used.

The March and March Movement has been at the centre of public and national political debate over immigration. The phrase attracted attention because it appeared to suggest a tough response to the movement after the elections.

The ministry’s clarification places the focus on the original interview and the context in which the words were spoken. It says the journalist introduced the phrase, while Kubayi denies making the remark herself.

The legal action could bring further attention to how political comments are circulated and interpreted on social media. For now, Kubayi’s position remains that the quote was wrongly attributed to her, and that those spreading the claim must be held accountable.

Source:https://x.com/ZANewsFlash/status/2118713286212333614?a=J8s7-mJggaydScGdNKI&s=19

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