NFP believes Manana suffers from schizophrenia, calls for immediate suspension
The NFP is vehemently opposing Manana's conduct towards his domestic worker, both during and after the case against him was withdrawn.
Protesters against former Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana demonstrate outside the Randburg Magistrates Court in Johannesburg on 13 November 2017. The former Deputy Minister was sentenced to 12 months in prison or a R100k fine after pleading guilty to the assault of 3 women at a club called Cubana. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia of former Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Mduduzi Manana demonstrate outside the Randburg Magistrates Court in Johannesburg on 13 November 2017. The former Deputy Minister was sentenced to 12 months in prison or a R100k fine after pleading guilty to the assault of 3 women at a club called Cubana. Picture: Yeshiel Panchia
The National Freedom Party (NFP) has released a statement advocating for the immediate suspension of Mduduzi Manana.
“The NFP strongly believes that Manana’s problem is not just abusive behaviour [towards] women, but that he suffers from schizophrenia disorder, which is extremely dangerous because he lacks ability to think before he does anything,” said Sabelo Sigudu, the NFP spokesperson.
The party feels that Manana’s beating of a domestic worker “as a punching bag over the weekend” and then presenting her with an offer that she “could not refuse” to withdraw the case is unjustifiable.
“The conducts of Manana calls for immediate suspension from him serving in the National Parliament of South Africa. The dignity of our Parliament is [dwindling] because of such conduct of members of parliament who perpetrate violent and women abuse,” Sugudu explains.
The NFP thus demands that Manana be suspended from parliament, in order for him to seek professional help or rehabilitation.
“Manana is promoting a patriarchal behaviour which [goes] against the gains of human rights, the constitution, democracy and normal human behaviour.”
The NFP also expressed their disappointment over what they deemed inadequate action from the ANC Women’s League.
“It is very sad that women in the ANC are silent over this matter, we also want to question the ANC-Women’s League to say: ‘What message are we sending to the society that has witnessed some such form of violent and some women are even dying?’”
“Manana is setting a wrong and misleading example to the nation, hence we call for immediate suspension,” Sigudu concludes.
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