The international relations department says Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane ‘agonised’ over her decision to grant Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity following assault claims.
Source: Diplomatic immunity for Grace Mugabe warranted – Nkoana-Mashabane | News24
Johannesburg – The Department of International Relations (Dirco) says Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane “agonised” over her decision to grant Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe diplomatic immunity following assault claims.
This after the department issued a statement, announcing that Mugabe’s diplomatic immunity was warranted.
“The minister has made the determination that the conferring of diplomatic immunity is warranted in this particular instance. The department wishes to convey the message that the minister has agonised over this matter and the decision was not an easy one to make,” her office said.
It said Nkoana-Mashabane said she considered several factors before landing on her final decision.
These included the imperative to maintain good inter-governmental relations within the SADC region, and in particular, between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
This also has to do with the incident coinciding with South Africa’s hosting of the 37th SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government and legal considerations.
The 52-year-old wife of President Robert Mugabe is accused of beating model Gabriella Engels, 20, on Sunday evening at a Johannesburg hotel where her two sons were staying.
Engels said she suffered deep cuts to her forehead and the back of her head, and on Monday, she registered a case with the police alleging assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm.
The alleged attack threatened to spark a diplomatic tiff between the neighbouring countries, which have strong political and economic ties.
Grace Mugabe allegedly arrived at the Capital 20 West Hotel with bodyguards and accused Engels of partying with her sons Robert and Chatunga, who are both in their 20s and live in Johannesburg.
Pictures on social media appeared to show Engels bleeding from her head after the alleged assault at the hotel in the upmarket business district of Sandton.
Engels said she had been attacked with an electrical extension cord.
COMMENTS
Diplomatic immunity is frikken BS you bunch of lily livered cowards!! She was in SA on personal business and her actions were premeditated!! She ran from the police and hid away and now you spongebobs try to let her walk away from a crime another person would go to prison for. I never had any respect for you morons but now you are nothing but gutter trash like disgrace.
This matter is not over. The issuance of diplomatic immunity after the event, to an individual in South Africa on personal business, does not comply with South African or International law. The matter is being taken to the High Court on review, if the immunity is overturned, an arrest warrant will be issued for Grace Mugabe. It will also allow a civil suit against her assets in South Africa such as the house bought for R43m in Sandton. If her son by her first marriage claims the house is his he will have contravened “money laundering laws” as well as tax laws in South Africa rendering him liable to arrest and imprisonment.
Nice that one can roam around as a criminal and thug. All criminals look after one another in the case being SA. It shows where SA is heading.
Please come to the UK and we will lock you up before your eyes can blink…