THE MEDIA waited from early morning for Deputy Minister Manana to arrive. But they were told he had been slipped in via a back door and when he left he was whisked away, surrounded by guards.
BUT THIS, ACCORDING TO THE POLICE, IS NOT SPECIAL TREATMENT.
NPA spokeswoman Phindile Mjonodwane rubbished the claims and told the media Mduduzi Manana had used the entrance that is used by all accused.
The Higher Education Deputy Minister appeared in the Randburg Magistrates Court and was granted R5000 bail yesterday.
Manana faces two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after the alleged assault of two women at Cubana in Fourways, north of Joburg, on Sunday.
The case was postponed to September 13 for further investigation.
Prosecutor Yusuf Baba told the court some of Manana’s bail conditions were that he should not make contact with the witnesses or their families.
In the packed court gallery, the deputy minister appeared calm in a plain blue suit and white shirt.
When he left, Manana was shielded as he rushed into a white Mercedes Vito.
According to Mjonodwane, Manana handed himself in at the Douglasdale Police Station on Wednesday morning.
There were reports that he had a pending case of assault involving a woman in Ermelo, Mpumalanga.
But Mjonodwane said, according to the investigating officer, Manana didn’t have a pending case.
“At the moment, the information we have is that there are no pending cases against the accused.”
Suspects usually use the main entrance during their first appearance‚ unless they have already been arrested and have to be brought up from the holding cells.
- During his Women’s Day celebration speech in Kimberley in the Northern Cape on Wednesday, President Jacob Zuma said: “All persons, regardless of their position in society, must face the full might of the law when they attack women and children.”
