The South African Police Service has been keeping tabs on
Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Grace Mugabe, who is accused of assaulting a young woman
in Johannesburg, to ensure that she doesn’t leave the country, Police Minister
Fikile Mbalula said on Thursday.
Mbalula said there was no way President Robert Mugabe’s
wife could leave South Africa before clearing her name in the matter.
“I can say to you, the matter is receiving our attention
and we are liaising with all involved in the matter of the suspect [Grace Mugabe]
who was supposed to appear in court but did not. In this particular instance,
we as the SAPS have already put tabs in the borders in relation to her leaving
the country so there is no question about that. The red alert has been put,”
Mbalula told reporters in Pretoria.
“She is not somebody who has been running away, from what
she said. In fact she has her own version of the events … it’s not up to us to
engage with that. It is for our investigators who have the case and to engage
with her to come and answer in relation to this matter. It is our commitment.”
Mbalula said the matter of Mrs Mugabe was different from
that of “somebody else” because she had sought to invoke diplomatic immunity.
“If it was somebody else, in relation with being a suspect
… we could have long moved and raided on her in terms of the issues,” said
Mbalula.
He commended the police for being in control of the case
since the allegations of assault emerged against Grace Mugabe.
“My job as a minister is to ensure that our citizens are
protected without fear or favour, and that is what I must enforce that our
police execute. But equally, I don’t want them to bungle and to bring things
into disrepute in the country. Anybody who comes to South Africa must know that
we are a constitutional state, and we are a law state. Nothing will just be
left,” said Mbalula.
He said the question of Grace Mugabe’s immunity was
currently being attended to before the police moved in.
“It has come to our attention that it [the case of Grace
Mugabe] might have not only immunity but diplomatic implications. From the
perspective of the police we have done what we could. The matter is with the
police who are handling the matter in relation to the case that has been
opened. A case has long been opened. It is not just a case of an ordinary
person. It has all those implications that must be attended to,” said Mbalula.
Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe arrived in Pretoria last
night for the 37th SADC Heads of State and Government Summit, amid the
controversy surrounding his wife Grace.
He reportedly arrived earlier than scheduled so he could
intervene in his wife’s matter.
Twenty-year-old model Gabriella Engels has accused Grace
Mugabe of assaulting her while she was visiting Mugabe’s sons in a hotel room
in an upscale Johannesburg suburb. The woman claims the first lady’s bodyguards
stood by and watched as Mugabe attacked her.
Engels posted several photos on social media showing a gash
in her forehead, which she said was a result of the alleged assault. citizen
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