SPORTS Minister Fikile Mbalula has apologised to the nation and his wife for having sex with a model, who now claims to be pregnant.

"I have apologised to my family, particularly to my wife, as I should have known better," Mbalula said in a statement yesterday.

Sowetan's sister paper Sunday World reported yesterday that Mbalula had a two-night fling with model Joyce Molamu, during which his condom burst, leading to an alleged pregnancy.

Mbalula said he gave Molamu R10,000 for an abortion after she said she was pregnant, but she later asked for R40,000 - and threatened to go public if he did not pay up.

"I have been trying to deal with this matter, in a private manner ... I then decided to cease all communication with her as I was not prepared to be blackmailed," he added.

Yesterday Mbalula said Molamu had still not given him any evidence that she was pregnant.

"Her claims of being pregnant remain unproven to me," he said.

Mbalula called for his family to be given "time and space" to deal with the matter privately.