Another Manana ‘victim’ speaks out

Allegations of MP’s fight with three women at a shisanyama in Mpumalanga last month emerge

More allegations of alleged assault on women have stacked up against Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana.

He was allegedly embroiled in a fight with three women at a shisanyama in his Mpumalanga home town of Ermelo last month. The altercation ended with a VW Polo being vandalised and its windows and sunroof smashed.

Zinhle Mokhohlane, 22, from Ermelo claimed she got into a heated argument with Manana last month at Nesto Lounge. “I am a victim of his abusive tendencies,” said Mokhohlane, who asked Sowetan to call her later when pressed to comment further.

Captain Leonard Hlathi of Mpumalanga police confirmed that Mokhohlane opened a case against Manana.

Contacted for comment, Manana hung up the phone.

According to a witness, Manana was also allegedly hit on the head with a beer bottle during the fracas and suffered a cut.

Police Minister Fikile Mbalula’s spokesman Vuyo Mhanga confirmed that a case was laid against Manana, who also laid a counter charge regarding the Ermelo incident, which were both later dropped.

“My understanding is that there was a case and a counter case, and both cases from both sides were dropped,” Mhanga said yesterday.

Sowetan has however established that three cases of assault

‘‘ Three cases of assault and one of attempted murder were opened

and one of attempted murder were opened at the Ermelo police station.

The lounge owner, Ernest Ngwenya, said he was not around when it happened.

“My bouncers told me they kicked the pair out as they were having a heated argument inside the lounge. The fight apparently continued outside, to which we decided not to involve ourselves.”

Manana is in hot water after he assaulted two women during a heated debate on the ANC’s presidential race at Cubana Lounge in Fourways, north of Johannesburg, in the early hours of Sunday.

Manana released a statement yesterday apologising. But his victim, Mandisa Duma, rejected his apology. A woman who identified herself as her cousin said Duma was too emotional to talk.

“We [family] don’t accept his apology as he still hasn’t admitted to his deeds and still says the video was manipulated and exaggerated,” she said.

Manana’s spokeswoman Busiswa Gqangeni said the allegations were unfounded.