Mrs Mugabe given immunity, flies home
ZIMBABWE First Lady Grace Mugabe has been granted diplomatic immunity.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) confirmed this yesterday, saying Dirco Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane had agonised over the difficult decision but that diplomatic immunity was warranted after careful consideration of all the relevant factors.
Grace invoked diplomatic immunity when assault charges were laid against her after she allegedly assaulted a woman‚ Gabriella Engels‚ and hotel staff in Sandton‚ Johannesburg‚ last week.
She flew back to Zimbabwe with her husband‚ President Robert Mugabe‚ in the early hours of yesterday, according to reports from the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
Among relevant factors Dirco said it had considered in granting Grace diplomatic immunity were the fact that the matter coincided with South Africa’s hosting of the 37th SADC [South African Development Community] Summit of Heads of State and Government that took place in Sandton at the weekend.
It also took into account legal considerations‚ including “derivative immunity of spouses of heads of state”.
Other considerations were the imperative to maintain good inter-government relations within the SADC region‚ and in particular between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The department said it had also considered the need to uphold the rule of law‚ ensure fair administration of justice and uphold the rights of the complainant. It said NkoanaMashabane had considered the request from the Zimbabwean embassy on August 16 for diplomatic immunity to be granted for Grace in accordance with the discretion granted to her by section 7(2) of the Diplomatic Immunities and Privileges Act.
According to this section‚ it said‚ “The minister may in any particular case if it is not expedient to enter into an agreement as contemplated in subsection (1) and if the conferment of immunities and privileges is in the interest of the republic‚ confer such immunities and privileges in a person or organisation as may be specified by notice in the gazette”.
It added: “The minister has made the determination that the conferring of diplomatic immunity is warranted in this particular instance.
‘The department wishes to convey the message that the minister has agonised over this matter and the decision was not an easy one to make.” — DDC