The DA wants Manana removed in light of fresh allegations of woman abuse

The Democratic Alliance (DA) said in a statement it would lodge a complaint against ANC MP Mduduzi Manana with parliament’s ethics committee, with a view to have him removed as an MP.

The former deputy minister of higher education briefly faced fresh allegations of woman abuse.

The Sowetan reported that Manana allegedly tried to push his domestic worker down the stairs yesterday at his double-storey home in Fourways, Johannesburg.

The woman, named as Christine Wiro, quit working for him on Sunday after just three weeks and then laid charges of assault, crimen injuria and intimidation against him at the Douglasdale police station.

The Zimbabwean woman claimed he had abused her verbally repeatedly “for the slightest mistake” and even threatened to have her deported back to Zimbabwe after she allegedly opened his gate for the wrong person, assuming it was an invited guest.

EWN reported on Monday morning, however, that she then withdrew the case against Manana, asking police to “no longer investigate the matter”.

The DA said its intention to lodge a complaint with the committee was prompted by these recent allegations against Manana.

“Further, the woman alleges she suffered regular verbal abuse, and was forced to work hours that contravene the Basic Conditions of Employment Act.

“The charges have since been withdrawn. It is also pertinent to investigate and establish if she has been intimidated to do so,” the DA statement reads.

The main opposition in parliament said the governing party’s inaction against Manana’s alleged actions was a disgrace.

Manana was convicted last year on three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after pleading guilty to the charges in September. The charges related to the assault of three women at Cubana in Fourways on August 6.

Manana assaulted at least one of the women after she taunted him for allegedly being gay. A video of the assault surfaced on social media and sparked widespread condemnation. He resigned from Cabinet, but the ANC retained him as an MP.

He was given a suspended sentence and a fine in November, and was also ordered to attend anger management classes.

Late last month, Sunday World also reported that Manana found himself in a brawl at the same nightclub that saw his name become infamous.

He was allegedly attempting to intervene to stop a fight at Cubana two Sundays ago after his friend and ANC youth business leader Malusi Zondo became embroiled in an argument with a physically imposing bodyguard trainer, Sakhile ‘Biggie’ Thusi.

Manana was ultimately unsuccessful in stopping the fight, though, and his friend was reportedly beaten “to a pulp”.

“During the Parliamentary question and answer session on 20 March this year, I asked Deputy President David Mabuza why Manana was still sitting in the ANC benches in Parliament when he had been convicted by a court of law for assaulting three women.

“He replied: ‘We believe people can be corrected … we don’t have a dustbin where we throw people.’ He explained that the ANC aims to rehabilitate, not discard, those found on the wrong side of the law. This stance disregards the oath to uphold the Constitution and all laws that all members of parliament must take when sworn into the National Assembly.

“Mr Manana has broken his oath and parliament, if not the ANC, must fire him. Anything less would be a tacit acceptance by the ANC of violence against women. It is clear that Manana belongs in jail and not in Parliament,” DA shadow deputy minister of women Terri Stander said.

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