Mduduzi Manana intends laying an extortion complaint against his domestic worker
8 May 2018
Gauteng police on Tuesday said they didn't know if former higher education and training deputy minister Mduduzi Manana had laid a complaint against his former domestic worker.
This is after Manana said on Monday that he intended laying a complaint against the domestic worker for allegedly trying to extort R100 000 from him.
"I have instructed my lawyers to file a legal suit against the woman's family for extortion as they demanded an amount of R100 000," said Manana in a statement issued on Monday evening.
It was not yet clear when he intended filing the suit.
Police spokesperson Kay Makhubela said Manana would be the best person to reveal when he was going to take the legal steps.
Manana was not immediately available to comment on the matter.
Security risk
In his statement, he sought to clarify the issue of his domestic worker laying a complaint against him and then later withdrawing it.
Manana's domestic worker filed a common assault complaint on Sunday, alleging he had tried to push her down the stairs of his Johannesburg home.
"The new allegations levelled against me are both unfortunate and malicious," he said, adding that he was aware that the charge had been withdrawn.
He explained that the Zimbabwean woman, whom he names, was employed as a domestic worker for a period of two weeks.
"On her first week at work, I realised that she often gives access to everyone who comes to my home and I warned her about a possible security risk that such conduct poses to me and especially to her as she could easily be raped."
Manana said he gave his helper permission to go home as he was also going to his home province of Mpumalanga.
She returned on May 1.
"On Wednesday May 2, I brought it to her attention that I am missing some possessions (ie a camera and a box of crystal glasses). She responded by crying that I am accusing her of stealing."
'Not the correct attitude for any workplace'
Manana said on May 6 he woke up in the morning and informed her that he was expecting a guest and could she please prepare breakfast for two people.
"I went to take a shower and then I heard voices from the kitchen. I stepped out of my bedroom and discovered that my guest had already made herself comfortable at my home."
Manana said he informed his domestic worker that she should have let him know first that there was someone at the gate before letting them in.
He said this was important because he had not disclosed the name of his guest to his helper.
"Like any other employer, it is within my right to reprimand her if she flouts the rules of the house, and she responded by laughing, much to my guest's shock.
"I then asked her if there was anything funny [in] what I'm saying. She responded and said 'I do not know'. I went on to ask if she [was] still interested in the job. Again, she responded and said: 'I said I do not know'. I then asked her to leave the house as that was not the correct attitude for any workplace."
Manana said: "I wish to place on record that since the case of assault which was levelled against me and for which I pleaded guilty, there has been desperate attempts to discredit and tarnish my name.
"This deliberate ploy is to use assault as a permanent stigma attached to me by my detractors whom I believe had a major influence in her opening the case and giving her access to the media community.
"This despite many corrective measures I have put in place to embrace, empower and push for the emancipation of women in our country. I have stated before that the incident that unfolded at Cubana leading to my guilty plea was unfortunate and sad, to an extent that it cost [me] my job, and therefore I could never have a repeat of it.
"I gave her (the domestic worker) money that was due to her for the two weeks period that she worked at my home."
Further details on this specific matter remain sub judice, he said.
