ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema says despite audio evidence to the contrary his Free State leader did not say Free State University's Vice Chancellor Jonathan Jansen should be killed.

Thabo Meeko made the comments outside a court in Bloemfontein on Monday after the case against the Reitz hostel video producers was postponed.

"Professor Jansen is equally a criminal like these racist young students at that university and we agree with the president of the ANC, shoot and kill a criminal," shouted Meeko.

Listen to Meeko's statement

Malema insisted Meeko was not telling people to kill Jansen.

He spoke to Talk Radio 702's John Robbie on Friday and said, "Criminals must be shot and killed, not Jansen must be shot and killed."

Malema said Jansen had his full backing and that he must stay on as rector.

He said they disagreed over the decision to pardon the Reitz Four.

"I told him you should have known better, you should have consulted," he said.