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A parliamentary committee will be investigating allegations that member of Parliament Mduduzi Manana assaulted his domestic worker.
National Assembly Speaker Baleka Mbete expressed her concern today about the latest accusations of physical violence, although she added that Manana remained innocent until proven otherwise.
“We welcome the National Prosecuting Authority’s investigation of the assault complaint which Manana’s domestic worker lodged and trust it will be concluded speedily,” she said today.
“The police’s exercising of their responsibility to continue the investigation is commendable – despite his domestic worker dropping the complaint she initially laid. Violence, especially violence against women and children and the vulnerable in our society, is a scourge which we must combat without compromise.”
Manana’s conduct was also the subject of an internal parliamentary inquiry through the joint committee on ethics and members’ interests, and Mbete said she would advise the committee to also investigate the latest accusations and make a recommendation.
The DA’s shadow deputy minister of women, Terri Stander, planned to file charges of corruption and extortion against Manana following the release of a voice clip on which a man said to be Manana could be heard allegedly trying to pay off his former domestic worker, Christine Wiro, after she laid criminal charges against him.
The recording
Listen to the full recording below:
A family friend released the voice recordings that allegedly prove that Manana offered a R100 000 payment to Wiro in exchange for her silence.
The recordings were released to the media after the ANC MP and former deputy minister of higher education released a statement on Monday denying that he had tried to push Wiro – who worked as a domestic helper for him for three weeks – down the stairway of his Fourways home and threatened to deport her to Zimbabwe.
He called the allegations as levelled by Wiro, “unfortunate” and “malicious” and accused her family of trying to extort R100 000 from him. He also said he had instructed his lawyer to file a lawsuit against the Wiro family for extortion.
The family friend, who asked not to be named, was at the police station on the night Wiro was to lay charges against Manana.
She said she made the recordings as Manana tried to convince them to drop the case and take the R100 000 as “consolation for her humiliation”.
“I’m willing to do anything … guys, it will really get out of hand, please ngiya’cela [I beg],” a man can be heard saying, to which a woman asks that they be given time to consult the men in the family before they reach any conclusion on withdrawing the case.
“I’m saying just for any consolation for umama, for what she feels is humiliation, I can give a consolation to her. Not the money she was earning, I’m saying I can give a consolation to her to take care of her health, of her family, of at least a R100 … to say look mama, I know you’ve worked for just two weeks but I’m willing, just for your humiliation to give that consolation. Then we can still continue with our relationship,” he continues.
The case was later withdrawn.
“Often the survivors of violence, especially domestic violence, drop complaints which they lodge with the police. This occurs for various reasons,” said Mbete.
She referred to Parliament’s code of ethical conduct for members of Parliament.
“These standards include upholding propriety, integrity and ethical values in their conduct,” she said, adding that it required members of Parliament to uphold the law and promote and support ethical conduct by leadership and lead by example.
Manana convicted of assault
Last year Manana was convicted of assault and sentenced to a fine of R100 000 or 12 months’ jail, to complete a rehabilitation programme and to carry out 500 hours of community service.
The prosecution followed the release of a video that showed Manana beating up women at the popular Cubana lounge in Fourways on August 6. Manana had lashed out against the women for referring to him as “gay”.
Stander said she was pleased to hear that the police were still investigating the latest charges against him even though they had been withdrawn.
“We maintain that Manana belongs in prison and not in Parliament. He has broken his oath of office and taxpayers should not be made to pay the salary of a woman abuser.”
Wiro has since gone to ground after feeling overwhelmed and scared for her life.
On why she released the voice recording, the friend said: “What was scary is that Manana found Wiro’s house in Pretoria. He had never been there before and he went there and spoke to her uncles and stepfather. He told them to drop the case and take the money … that the case would just drag out in court.
“That’s why she withdrew because the men in her family convinced her. But not because she was taking the money. No money exchanged hands. I’m annoyed that we all chant, ‘she hasn’t died she has multiplied’ but still men are getting away with this.”
