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As a mom, Grace Mugabe controversy has been a painful exercise – Nkoana-Mashabane
6:09 CAT | 24 Aug 2017
GCIS (File photo) / South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is currently in Maputo to attend 2the second session of the South Africa-Mozambique bi-national commission.
The South Africa Parliament has been roped into the Grace Mugabe debacle,’The Independent’ writes today.
Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, who is from today accompanying Jacob Zuma on a two-day visit to Maputo, announced yesterday that she had written to Speaker Baleka Mbete concerning the diplomatic immunity granted to the Zimbabwean first lady.
Nkoana-Mashabane on Sunday cited the need to continue strong diplomatic relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe as one of the government’s reasons for granting diplomatic immunity to Mugabe on assault charges after she allegedly hit model Gabriella Engels with an extension cord on her forehead.
Engels, 20, laid charges against the first lady following the incident, which took place at a Sandton hotel.
Speaking shortly after she had concluded a media briefing at her department in Pretoria yesterday, Nkoana-Mashabane said: “We are following the law. We have written to Parliament and we will follow up on this matter.”
She said that, as a mother, the controversy surrounding Mugabe has been a painful exercise for her.
“I am here. My name is Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. [I am] a very responsible mother, you can ask my children. Others know I am very supportive. It’s been a very painful exercise. It still is. Having said that, we are following the law,” she is cited by News 24 as having told reporters in Pretoria.
It is not clear if Nkoana-Mashabane will be summoned before Parliament’s portfolio committee to explain herself as she said that she had already written to the committee’s chairperson, Moses Masango.
The public has yet to hear if the handling of the Mugabe issue has left any dents in South African’s relationship with Zimbabwe. President Robert Mugabe attended the 37th Ordinary Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit, alongside other African heads of state, and returned home with his wife.
The grounding planes in the SAA-Air Zimbabwe tiff is also likely to be heard by Parliament. AfriForum yesterday filed a review application at the Pretoria High Court asking the court to set aside a decision by Nkoana-Mashabane to grant diplomatic immunity to Mugabe.
Engels has stated in an affidavit that the Foreign States Immunities Act (1981) “explicitly excludes the granting of immunity to heads of state who are guilty of the death or injury of people in South Africa”.
The affidavit added: “If heads of state themselves do not receive immunity in such a case, there is no way that their spouses or families can qualify for it.”
Two-day visit to Mozambique
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is expected in Maputo today where she accompanies President Zuma in a two-day vist to attend the second session of the South Africa-Mozambique bi-national commission, alongside Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies; Minister of Environmental Affairs, Ms Edna Molewa, Minister of Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa, Minister of Energy, Ms Mmamoloko K ubayi and the Minister of Transport, Mr Joe Maswanganyi.
Also Read: Zuma in Maputo to attend 2nd session of the South Africa-Mozambique bi-national commission
Source: The Independent / News 24 / Diário de Moçambique / The Presidency of South Africa (Press Release)
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