Deputy Minister of Higher Education Bhuti Manamela’s wife, Nomvuyo Mhlakaza-Manamela, dared the pregnant female VIP protection officer she allegedly beat up to take out her gun and shoot her.
Mhlakaza-Manamela, the deputy speaker in the Gauteng legislature, appeared at the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Thursday for assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
This after she allegedly attacked the officer, Sergeant Lizzy Mojapelo, at her Johannesburg house in February 2020. The case was postponed to September for trial.
According to a cop close to Mojapelo, Mhlakaza-Manamela punched her and repeatedly called her a “rubbish” who wanted to control her in her house. This after she took offence that Mojapelo had taken a long time to open the guardhouse.
The deputy speaker also accused her husband of “standing there” and doing nothing when this “rubbish” was controlling her in her house.
Relating the incident, the cop said Mojapelo was sitting in the guardhouse when she saw the car lights flashing by the gate, but she did not open as she waited for the motorists to hoot first.
She said after a few minutes, the deputy speaker got out of the vehicle and started to dance while holding two bottles of alcohol in her hands. As the car reversed, she walked to the front door of the main house and put down the bottles she was carrying. She attempted to open the door but failed.
“She went straight to the window of the guardhouse and banged it,” said the cop.
The cop said when Mojapelo asked her if she could help with an anything, the deputy speaker blew her top and asked her who she was to ask her that question.
Mojapelo walked outside, greeted her and asked her how she could be of assistance to her. “She greeted her and asked her again how she could be of help to her because she couldn’t stand properly and it was dark because of load-shedding,” said the cop.
Another cop said after some time, the deputy speaker called her husband and the former Young Communist Party leader came out shining the light of his cellphone on her face.
“She greeted the minister by calling him ‘baba’ but he never replied. She nonetheless started to explain what was happening, but he just kept quite while his wife kept on shouting and pushing her [Mojapelo],” said the cop.
Manamela ordered his wife to leave but she refused and continued to abuse Mojapelo. “She came closer to her face and told her that she doesn’t care about the rank [of her job]. At that time, she was reeking of alcohol and the minister just stood there doing nothing.
“She (the deputy speaker) then said ‘Bhuti I don’t want this rubbish in my house, she must go out of my premises’,” said the cop.
The cop added Mojapelo decided to walk back to the guardhouse but the deputy speaker blocked her and said: “Even this guard is in my house, go, I don’t want you in my house.”
The deputy speaker then allegedly punched Mojapelo on her back. When she turned around to ask why she was attacking her, she unleashed more punches. Mojapelo fell on the chairs, which were in the guardhouse.
“At that time the minister’s wife was shouting ‘kill me … kill me, take out your firearm and shoot me. Mojapelo was also screaming in pain and telling the minister’s wife that she was hurting her,” said the cop, adding that Mojapelo also pleaded with the minister to come to her rescue.
Mojapelo later opened a case at the police station. The National Prosecuting Authority declined to prosecute but changed its stance when the AfriForum threatened to go for private prosecution.
Gauteng Police spokesperson Mavela Masondo declined to comment and referred Sunday World to national police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe, who was not available for comment.
Mojapelo said she was unable to comment because she was too busy. Attempts solicit comments from the couple drew a blank as they ignored our messages and telephone calls.
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