Cape Town - The African National Congress Youth League in the Western Cape has called on President Jacob Zuma to immediately fire Deputy Higher Education and Training Minister Mduduzi Manana.
"The ANCYL will not support our former ANCYL NEC [national executive committee] member deputy minister Manana after he assaulted a woman. His actions are a slap in the face of our movement’s campaign to end violence against women, especially young women," the league said in a statement.
"We are troubled by his inconsiderate response and his justification that he acted after 'extreme provocation'. We cannot have members of the executive acting with impunity. They must be an example to society and clearly deputy minister Manana has failed," it said.
Furthermore, his allegation that he was provoked by a homophobic slur was shocking and should be condemned. South Africa had one of the most progressive constitutions in the world and Manana's action was an insult to all students of different sexual orientation.
"We are concerned that should he stay on, his actions will be further normalised among young men in our society as a whole and at institutions of higher learning in particular. Gender-based violence must be nipped in the bud and we trust that President Zuma will act in the best interests of young people by removing deputy minister Manana from his executive," the ANCYL said.
Manana, 34, allegedly assaulted Mandisa Duma at a Fourways, Johannesburg, nightclub last weekend. Earlier this week he issued a public apology but said he had acted following "extreme provocation". Manana was granted R5 000 bail in the Randburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday on two counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The case was postponed to September 13.
He reportedly faced another assault charge laid against him last month after an alleged altercation with two women at another nightclub in Ermelo in Mpumalanga.