NKOANA-MASHABANE COULD FACE GRILLING IN PARLIAMENT OVER MUGABE IMMUNITY

Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe was allowed to leave SA despite being investigated for the assault of a South African woman.

FILE: Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane. Picture: GCIS.

Rahima Essop
Eyewitness News

CAPE TOWN - International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane could soon face questions from MPs over her decision to grant Zimbabwean First Lady Grace Mugabe immunity, but there’s no date for the meeting yet.

Mugabe was allowed to leave the country despite being investigated for the assault of a South African woman at a Sandton hotel this month.

The debacle has sparked an uproar, with the Democratic Alliance (DA) calling for a parliamentary inquiry into government’s failure to ensure Mugabe faces prosecution.

The portfolio committee responsible for oversight of Nkoana-Mashabane’s department has agreed to call the minister to explain her actions.

The issue was also raised during Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa’s question and answer session in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Ramaphosa was put on the spot when Inkatha Freedom Party parliamentarian Liezl van der Merwe asked him whether he supported the decision to grant Mugabe immunity.

“And I think as a leader of government business you must provide us with some answers.”

The deputy president was heckled by MPs in the opposition benches as he responded.

“The clarity that there is on this matter is not full and complete. In the sense that yes in certain environments it’s applied, in others, it’s not. So, it happens to have been applied here.”

Twenty-year-old Gabriella Engels claims Mugabe attacked her with an electrical extension cord.

Mugabe allegedly stormed the hotel room her sons had been staying in and allegedly attacked Engels who was there that night.