NPA’s decision not to prosecute Manana for ‘assault’ must be reviewed – IFP 

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to review its decision not to prosecute former deputy minister of higher education Mduduzi Manana for allegedly assaulting his domestic worker.

The embattled African National Congress (ANC) leader resigned as a member of parliament on Tuesday. He was scheduled to appear before parliament’s ethics committee on Wednesday.

IFP spokesperson Mkhuleko Hlengwa said Manana “clearly thinks that throwing money at his problems will take them away”.

“It is unacceptable that many women and children face abuse at the hands of men, and Manana sets a dangerous precedent that [normalises] abuse by showing men they can pay their way out of trouble,” he said.

On Monday, the NPA announced it would not prosecute Manana due to a lack of sufficient evidence.

Manana’s then domestic worker, Christine Wiro, had laid assault charges against him two months ago.

She claimed he pushed her down the stairs after a quarrel.

Hlengwa said the NPA’s decision not to prosecute Manana should be reviewed.

“The NPA should come out and provide South Africans with the reasons for dropping this case and letting Manana off the hook. We are all equal before the law, and must face fair and just processes. Manana cannot be made the exception,” he said.

Manana was previously convicted of assaulting three women at a Johannesburg nightclub, and was fined R100 000 last year.

He resigned on Tuesday after several calls for him to step down.

Manana is not the only politician who has been, or is still, an MP to make headlines for other reasons other than his work.

Economic Freedom Fighters’ MP Floyd Shivambu was caught on camera with his hand around the throat of a photojournalist outside parliament earlier this year.

He later apologised for what he called a “scuffle”.

In 2017, former ANC MP Tony Yengeni was found guilty of drunken driving, and in 2003, he was found guilty of corruption.

In 2015, Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Archibald Figlan, who still serves as an MP, was found guilty of sexual assault by his party after he allegedly forced the party’s staff member to touch his groin area during a march in Cape Town.