Sparks fly at Manana’s assault case
Second suspect linked to the case arrested at court
Television personality and women rights activist Andile Gaelesiwe came close to trading blows with supporters of former deputy minister of higher education Mduduzi Manana in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Manana pleaded guilty to all three charges brought against him for assaulting Mandisa Duma at Cubana nightclub in Fourways last month.
His case was postponed to November 7.
At the same court, Gaelesiwe was involved in an ugly spat with Manana’s supporters inside a packed Court 3 when she confronted two men, who wore T-shirts emblazoned #WeAreSorry.
A war of words ensued when Gaelesiwe implied that one of the men was a gay.
“I will drag you out of the closet,” said Gaelesiwe.
This resulted in Women’s Network president Montseng Mothae intervening.
“She is very homophobic, it is so sad,” charged Mothae in reference to Gaelesiwe’s comments. Gaelesiwe accused one of the men of bad breath and needing to bathe. One of the men said he was disappointed by her reaction. “It is so unlike you,” he said. The man labelled Gaelesiwe “old and deserving to be on pension”.
This took place while Manana was in a “waiting room”.
Gaelesiwe said she lost it when she heard the men gossiping about her.
“Whatever they were saying it wasn’t funny because they were laughing,” she said.
Themba Masango from #NotInMyName campaign against abuse said they were looking for justice for Manana’s alleged victims.
“There are people who have been rented to stand for the perpetrator, which is a sad thing,” Masango said.
“These people started an altercation because our organisation wants justice and for Manana to face the full might of the law.
Meanwhile, police pounced on a suspect identified by Duma and linked to Manana’s assault case outside the court.
Gauteng police spokesman Kay Makhubele confirmed the arrest yesterday.
People have been rented to stand for the perpetrator