Apologetic Manana says he is undergoing therapy

Former deputy minister of higher education and woman beater Mduduzi Manana on Wednesday said he had engaged the services of a therapist as he apologised for his action outside the Randburg Magistrates Court.

“This kind of act ends with me, I had to man up and that’s what a leader does. I made an error and took responsibility,” Manana said while addressing students outside the court who were there in his support.

Manana was convicted of three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm by the Randburg Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to the charges after a public outcry as the video emerged of him allegedly assaulting two women at Cubana nightclub in Fourways last month.

He then resigned as deputy minister, but is still a member of parliament.

It was alleged that the ANC MP had an altercation with the women after one of them called him “gay”.

News24 reports that a second suspect who came to court to support the MP on Wednesday was arrested after being pointed out by one of the victims, while Manana’s case was postponed to November 7 for sentencing.

He is currently out on R5 000 bail.

News24 reports that the students had placards that read: “He is remorseful, let us forgive,” and “Good leaders know when they are wrong.”

One student told EWN that they were supporting him on the basis that “we want to walk this path with him”.

“We don’t want to cast him out. Because too many people have been cast out in South Africa, and that’s why we’re such a violent state. Speak to other men. And be the champion by saying I’ve been there, I’ve made a mistake. And, let no other men go through that.”