Deputy minister of higher education Mduduzi Manana’s resignation is too little to late, say organisations that called for his axing after the news of an assault of two women surfaced.
The Commission for Gender Equality said the entire debacle had created an unfortunate impression that the government was morally ambivalent and indifferent about the seriousness of gender-based violence.
Koketso Moeti, the executive director of campaign website Amandla.mobi, yesterday said they had written to President Jacob Zuma last week, calling for Manana to be fired after he assaulted two women at a Joburg eatery two weeks ago. Manana had admitted to it in a public apology.
The letter from Amandla.mobi included a petition signed by almost 3 000 people.
“While we welcome Manana’s resignation, we are concerned that it allows him to leave with dignity, whereas being dismissed would have sent a strong message that the government does not tolerate such behaviour,” said Moeti.
In a press statement on Saturday, Zuma said he had accepted Manana’s resignation.
However, media reports yesterday said that Manana was given an ultimatum, to quit or be fired.
But he kept his seat in Parliament.
“That is still a public office, he has no place in public office,” said Moeti.
She also took issue with Zuma for thanking Manana for his contribution to the work of government during his term of office.
“That is disappointing and a missed opportunity to condemn Manana and acknowledge their own failure to act timeously, especially when reports from other victims came up. This shows a clear pattern of behaviour, and I believe his resignation and his apology is really only because he got caught,” said Moeti.
She said the police also missed an opportunity to show victims of gender-based violence how seriously they took the crime when they failed to arrest Manana.
“The series of events that led up to his bail hearing seemed to be handled in more favourable way, there was no arrest even though there was a video and his whereabouts were known.
"It is unacceptable that some perpetrators are treated better than others. All of this does not give us confidence that the systems meant to protect victims of gender-based violence are working,” she said.
Manana reportedly handed himself over to police on the day he was due in court, where he was granted R5 000 bail.
The Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) welcomed Manana’s removal from the Higher Education and Training Aids programme, saying he had no place leading it.
On Sunday, TAC general secretary Anele Yawa said the resignation was a lesson not only to Manana, but to all leaders who had a mindset of patriarchy.
“We expect the law to still take it’s course, and hope that he will be rehabilitated to change his mindset not to attack women because he was called gay.
"His reaction encourages hatred and discrimination against the gay and lesbian community,” said Yawa.
Manana is due back at the Randburg Magistrate's Court on September 13.