Africa-Press – South-Africa. AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit on Tuesday announced that it would privately prosecute Vuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela, the deputy speaker of the Gauteng legislature.
A police Protection and Security Services officer, Sergeant Lizzy Mojapelo, approached the unit after her assault case against the politician was withdrawn last year.
Mojapelo claimed that Mhlakaza-Manamela allegedly assaulted her in full uniform in February 2020.
The assault allegedly occurred at the home of Mhlakaza-Manamela and her husband Buti Manamela, the deputy minister of higher education.
Senior prosecutors allegedly told Mojapelo that the matter would be difficult to prosecute because the suspect was a very high-profile person, the unit’s head Gerrie Nel said on Tuesday.
“Mojapelo alleges that the suspect, in a drunken fit of rage, severely assaulted her. She further states that her police superiors did not want to help her open a case, but instead did everything in their power to frustrate those efforts,” Nel said.
Nel said a medical examination confirmed that Mojapela had sustained multiple injuries, and that she was 11 weeks pregnant at the time.
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“She suffered vaginal bleeding and had to receive fertility treatment to ensure her pregnancy was not terminated.”
According to Nel, Mojapelo’s colleagues who arrived at the scene had refused to take her to a police station to open a case, or to a hospital for medical treatment.
Immediately after the incident, Mojapelo was instead taken to a control centre where she reported the assault, Nel said.
“Mojapelo, as a diligent and dutiful police officer, documented details of the alleged assault at every step of the process – from the occurrence book at the scene of the crime to compiling notes of her interactions with prosecutors and investigators. Despite the prima facie evidence against Mhlakaza-Manamela, the National Prosecuting Authority declined to pursue the matter.”
Mhlakaza-Manamela has not yet responded to a request for comment. It will be added once received.
Gauteng NPA spokesperson Phindi Mjonondwane said they would respond in due course.
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