Johannesburg - As the assault case against former Deputy Higher Education Minister Mduduzi Manana gets underway in the Randburg Magistrate's Court, police confirmed that a second suspect linked to the incident was arrested.
He was arrested while waiting for court proceedings to get underway after one of Manana's alleged victims pointed him out to police officers.
Provincial police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele confirmed the suspect's dramatic arrest.
"We can confirm that a man was arrested in court after one of the victims pointed him out to officers. He was held at Randburg and will be charged with assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm," he said.
He will appear as Manana's co-accused, Makhubele added.
Meanwhile, reports that Manana has already pleaded guilty to the assault charges have been refuted.
It had earlier been reported that the former minister had already pleaded guilty to the assault charges levelled against him.
The prosecutor handling the case denied this, saying Manana had not yet formally pleaded guilty but was expected to as soon as he appeared.
Manana, 34, came under fire after reports emerged of his alleged assaulted of two women at a Fourways, Johannesburg, nightclub.
He has subsequently issued a public apology but said he had acted following “extreme provocation”. He also resigned from his post as deputy minister.
Manana was granted R5 000 bail in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court on August 10