AfriForum cries foul over handling of Mhlakaza-Manamela assault case
The assault case against the deputy speaker in the Gauteng legislature Nomvuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela has been postponed to 22 and 30 September for trial.
However, AfriForum said it has some concerns over the handling of the matter.
Mhlakaza-Manamela appeared briefly in the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning, where she faced charges of assault and crimen injuria related to the alleged attack on a pregnant VIP protection officer Lizzy Mojapelo in February 2020.
Mojapelo approached AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit after the NPA chose not to pursue the case against the deputy speaker, who is also the wife of Deputy Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela.
Afriforum Private Prosecution Unit spokesperson Barry Bateman said the organisation, which is on a watching brief for Mojapelo, learned in the morning that the accused had her first appearance in court on 10 August and the matter was set down for trial for Thursday 18 August without the complainant being informed.
He said the matter was only postponed because the presiding officer was unavailable.
“Where we have concerns is that we have subsequently learned that prosecutor seized with the matter was only given the docket days before that first appearance last week, yet the matter continued to be set down for trial. It also emerged that the prosecutor had no prior contact with Mojapelo who is the complainant in the matter, and would be the first witness to be called.”
𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴
— AfriForum (@afriforum) August 18, 2022
AfriForum se privaatvervolgingseenheid stel vrae oor die hantering van die saak teen Vuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela pic.twitter.com/12QlOGXGOx
Bateman added that the developments suggest an “engineering” of unpreparedness of the state in the matter.
The lobby group also wants to know why the accused has not been charged with interference in a police officer’s duties, in terms of the South African Police Service Act, as Mojapelo was on duty at the time of the incident.
Meanwhile, Mojapelo said she is encouraged by Thursday’s developments in court.
“Today went well though they gave me a short notice to appear. It’s been two years; I have been ready for so long. I have been running around trying to pursue this case after what they did to me.”
The NPA had not responded to our questions at the time of writing this article.
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