Former deputy minister of higher education and training Mduduzi Manana‚ who was accused of assaulting three women‚ has pleaded guilty to all three charges brought against him and the court has accepted the guilty plea., made on Wednesday at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
This comes as Mandisa Duma‚ one of the three women Manana assaulted‚ initially opened a case of assault with intention to cause grievous bodily harm at the Douglasdale police station in Johannesburg on August 6. The other two women with Duma on the day of the incident — Noluthando Mahlanga and Thina Mopipa — also opened charges against Manana after he assaulted them outside a restaurant in Cedar Square‚ Fourways.
"I, Mduduzi Comfort Manana‚ do hereby voluntarily‚ without any undue influence‚ and in my sober senses‚ confirm that I have read and understood the three charges preferred against me by the state. I hereby plead guilty to the three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm‚" said Michael Motsoeneng‚ Manana’s attorney in court.
Manana made his first court appearance at the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on August 9 and was granted R5‚000 bail. On Wednesday, after the plea, his attorney asked for a postponement to further prepare, and Magistrate Ramsamy Reddy granted a postponement to November 7.
Before Manana’s court appearance on Wednesday‚ Duma identified one the men who was with Manana on the day of the incident and he was arrested in court. The second suspect, who fled the court after his friend was arrested‚ later handed himself over to the police. The two were both due to appear at the same court on Thursday.
On August 6‚ Manana lost his cool after an argument on who should succeed President Jacob Zuma at the party’s elective conference in December, but what allegedly triggered him to attack the women was one of them making a comment about his sexuality‚ calling him gay.
She claimed she was with Manana and his friends inside the restaurant when Manana chased them out. Duma‚ who sustained a black eye‚ bruised knees and a swollen face and neck‚ further claimed that while walking out‚ Manana slapped her cousin across the face after the comment about his sexuality, before turning on her in the parking lot.
In a video that went viral‚ the former deputy minister can be seen in a black T-shirt and a black and white cap. Three men can be seen dragging one of the women down as she tries to get up, while bouncers stand by and do not intervene in the 14-second recording. The woman can be heard asking the men four times: "What are you doing?" before the video ends.
Manana has since resigned and apologised for the incident.
Shortly after his court appearance, Manana said he would respect the outcome of the court when sentencing is handed down. "I intend apologising to the victims once the sentence has been delivered but truly‚ I want justice to be served. Obviously‚ it doesn’t have to favour me."
Asked if he hoped the court would show leniency given that he has apologised and admitted he was wrong‚ Manana said: "The court will use its own wisdom to come to a determination."
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