Submit to law, Manana urged
Minister advises MP over assault allegations
THURSDAY MAY 10 2018
THE MINISTER of Women in the Presidency, Bathabile Dlamini, has urged ANC MP Mduduzi Manana to abide by the law and allow justice to take its course.
“The public altercation between Ms Wiro and Mr Manana presents a serious cause for concern for a number of reasons,” Dlamini said in a statement.
“... allegations of violence have resurfaced against Mr Manana, who as a leader has been entrusted by the public to represent them at the Parliament of the Republic. Such a leader must therefore live his life as a living reflection of the aspirations of our constitution.
“At the same time, we are concerned by allegations of extortion levelled against the Wiro family by Mr Manana.
“We therefore urge all parties involved to submit themselves to law enforcement processes in order for the matter to be addressed by our judicial system.”
Manana is facing calls to step down in the wake of assault allegations against him by his domestic worker, Christine Wiro. She alleged he tried to push her down the stairs for allowing a guest into his Fourways home without checking with him first.
She told police that Manana had previously verbally abused her and threatened to have her deported back to her home country, Zimbabwe. Wiro has been in Manana’s employ for three weeks.
She withdrew the charges on Monday after Manana reportedly offered to pay her R100 000 to drop the case.
Manana has since rubbished the assault claims and the cash offer, saying he would lay extortion charges against Wiro and her family. He said the fresh assault allegations were a smear campaign following his conviction in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court for assaulting three women at a Johannesburg nightclub last year. He was consequently fired as deputy minister of higher education.
However, a recording has emerged in which Manana is heard offering Wiro and her family R100 000 as “consolation” in exchange for her dropping assault and crimen injuria charges laid with police at the weekend. – African News Agency (ANA)