R100 000 fine for ex-deputy minister

CONVICTED former deputy higher education minister Mduduzi Manana was sentenced to a R100 000 fine‚ or 12 months in prison‚ and 500 hours of community service on yesterday.

The Randburg Magistrate’s Court also ordered him to attend an angermanagement programme and pay compensation to each of his victims. In addition‚ he was declared unfit to possess a firearm. Manana pleaded guilty to assaulting Mandisa Duma‚ Noluthando Mahlaba and Thina Mapipa.

Manana‚ who has two previous theft convictions‚ was found guilty of three counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after he admitted to attacking the women at a restaurant in Fourways‚ Johannesburg.

He pleaded guilty to all charges on September 7.

Manana lost his cool on August 6 during an argument on who should succeed President Jacob Zuma at the party’s elective conference next month. What allegedly triggered his attack on the women was a comment one made that labelled him “gay”.

Magistrate Ramsamy Reddy said that‚ as a deputy minister‚ he was supposed to be a role model in society. Instead‚ he had assaulted three women leaving them humiliated‚ traumatised and embarrassed.

Reddy ordered that‚ in addition to the fine‚ he financially compensate each of his victims. He was ordered to pay Mahlaba R5 014‚ Duma R20 263 and Thina R1 403.

Manana’s co-convicts‚ Cyril Madonsela‚ 35‚ and Thulani Mdaka‚ 30‚ will be sentenced today. They both faced the same charges as Manana.