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Petition is successful with 2,880 signatures
To: Jacob Zuma, President of South Africa
Dismiss Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana for assault
While we did not get the full victory we wanted; having Manana dismissed. Through ongoing public pressure he has resigned which is a step in the right direction.
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Dismiss Higher Education Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana for physically assaulting a woman at the Cubana Restaurant. An apology is not enough [1] [2]
Why is this important?
South Africa is bogged by many incidents of assault against women to an extent that these have been normalised. Many women are killed, raped and brutalised by men on a daily basis, and yet very few are brought to justice for these crimes. Dismissing Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana will be sending a loud and clear message that we condemn such behaviour. Deputy Minister Manana is a public figure, and as such, should know the high expectations of him. Keeping him in the employ of the government will undermine ongoing efforts to develop and implement a comprehensive, fully funded National Strategic Plan to prevent, combat and respond to GBV.
Mduduzi Manana must be dismissed if we want to send a clear message that when you strike a woman you strike a rock.
It's also worth noting that the Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana led dialogues on Gender Based Violence [3]. Action against perpetrators of gender based violence must be swift, we have had enough of hollow words. It's time for action.
Some have raised the point that victim of the assault called Mr Mduduzi Manana 'gay'. Such an utterance shows how homophobic Mzansi is, that calling someone gay is seen as derogatory and must be condemned. But equally, Mr Mduduzi Manana to be so offended by being called gay is also deeply problematic. But regardless, violence against women can never be justified.
[3] http://www.dhet.gov.za/SiteAssets/Latest%20News/August%202016/Rhodes%20University080816.pdf