Assault charges against Mduduzi Manana withdrawn
7 May 2018
Charges of common assault against former deputy minister of higher education and training Mduduzi Manana have been withdrawn.
The Sowetan and EWN reported that Manana allegedly tried to push his domestic worker down stairs.
The charges were filed on Sunday evening at the Douglasdale police station. They were withdrawn a few hours later, Gauteng police spokesperson Mathapelo Peters said.
"It is the victim' prerogative to withdraw the charges," she said. Peters declined to disclose the woman's identity.
Last year in September, Manana was convicted of three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm after pleading guilty to the charges.
The charges related to the assault of three women at Cubana in Fourways on August 6, which was filmed and went viral on social media, sparking a national outcry for his arrest.
Manana claimed he was provoked after one of the women called him "isitabane", a term used derogatively to refer to people in the gay community.
The Randburg Magistrate's Court ordered Manana to pay a R100 000 fine, or face 12 months in jail.
He was also ordered to complete 500 hours of community service and to complete a rehabilitation programme.
In addition, Manana was to pay the victims a total of R26 680.46.
