ANC claims Manana's resignation shows his remorse

The ANC on Wednesday applauded former Higher Education minister Mduduzi Manana for resigning from parliament‚ saying this showed he was remorseful.

In a statement‚ party chief whip in parliament Jackson Mthembu said Manana’s resignation was also a sign that he had taken responsibility for his actions.

Manana’s resignation came just a day before he was supposed to appear at parliament’s ethics committee following his conviction on three counts of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm in the Randburg Magistrate's Court last year for assaulting a woman at a nightclub.

News reports say Manana was booed by ANC delegates when he was introduced at the party's Gauteng conference at the weekend.

The National Prosecuting Authority this week decided not to proceed with charges against Manana for another alleged assault. He was accused of assaulting his domestic worker at his home in Johannesburg.

“His voluntary resignation from parliament‚ coupled with his resignation from the executive in 2017‚ is indicative of someone who has taken full responsibility and has shown remorse for his actions ... in a gender-based violence case where a court of law found him guilty‚” said Mthembu.

“We further note his public statement to the effect of actively participating in campaigns and initiatives to fight ... gender-based violence and these initiatives have our full support. We wish comrade Manana well with all his future endeavours‚” he added.