South african lawyer wants the Mugabes to give a public apology to South Africa

 

court

While First Lady Grace Mugabe might have escaped prosecution in South Africa after she allegedly assaulted a 20 year model, Gabrielle Engels, a week ago there is a feeling that President Mugabe should have offered a public apology on behalf of his wife.

The Mugabes returned to Harare in the early hours of Sunday after Grace was granted diplomatic immunity which allowed her to leave South Africa and avoid prosecution.

Pretoria had earlier issued a “red alert” to prevent Mugabe’s wife from leaving until the matter was resolved.

Grace assaulted Engels with an extension cord after she found her in the company of her two sons, Robert Junior and Chatunga.

President Mugabe was forced into South Africa days before his scheduled trip to attend the 37th SADC summit and could have pulled a few strings to secure her release.

However, former South Africa Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela remarked in Sandton on Sunday that Mugabe should have publicly apologised.

"No amount of provocation entitles you to harm a person."[It] was appalling for a neighbour to come and assault a [South African] citizen," Madonsela said.

"Citizens should know that they would be protected regardless of who harms them. We need our leaders to stand up for that."

Mugabe’s wife could not be out of the woods as yet as AfriForum, a South African civil rights group, was quoted in the media indicating that they would challenge the granting of the diplomatic immunity.

“What we will carry on with is a review application [of the decision] to grant her immunity," said Afriforum’s legal representative Willie Spies.