DEPARTMENT of Labour director-general Jimmy Manyi has refused to apologise for asking Treasury for R1billion without knowing what he wanted to spend it on.

Last week Labour Minister Membathisi Mdladlana ordered Manyi to apologise to Parliament for the unusual request.

This after DA MP Ian Ollis produced an email from Manyi to his officials, in which he instructed them to come up with items worth R900million to back his request for the extra billion.

Mdladlana said Manyi was "an embarrassment to the department" and would have to apologise before Parliament. If he did not do so he "would have to face the consequences".

But yesterday Manyi flatly refused to apologise. Appearing before the labour committee, Manyi said he "was not going to talk about it because the (ANC committee) chairperson said there was only one item on the agenda".

The chairperson, Lumka Yengeni, said the meeting would only discuss a "scientific breakdown with figures for the department and nothing else".

Ollis insisted the minister should take action against Manyi.

Mdladlana's spokesperson, Mzobanzi Jikazana, backed Manyi, saying the meeting was "completely not for that (apology)".