Teacher accused of brutal assault on mother of his child, released on bail

Police in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga arrested a 34-year-old male teacher for the assault of a 24-year-old woman said to be the mother of his child on Thursday 2 July. One day later, he was released on bail.

In a video, posted to social media, the man by the name of Tomas Jabu Manana can be seen trying to beat her with a large pole. Screams can be heard throughout. 

This video, unfortunately, adds to a long list of violent acts against women that were reported in the month of June. Tshegofatso Pule, 28, was found stabbed and hanging from a tree in Roodeport last month. She was eight months pregnant at the time of her death.

TEACHER ASSAULTS WOMAN IN TERRIFYING VIDEO 

South African Police Service (SAPS) Brigadier Leonard Hlathi confirmed the incident which allegedly took place on Thursday. 

“This 34-year-old teacher is alleged to have assaulted his baby mother on Thursday. A case of assault [and] grievous bodily harm (GBH) was opened and [he] was arrested the same day”. 

Manana appeared in the KwaMhlanga Magistrate’s Court on Friday 3 July and was released on R1 000 bail. Hlathi could not provide the next date that Manana is expected back in court. 

When asked how the woman is, Hlathi said: “yes, she’s okay”.  

A Twitter user posted the video saying: 

“This is Mr Manana, a high school teacher in KwaMhlanga at Silamba…He doesn’t only abuse his wife but also has abused high school children and always gets away with it…dear Twitter please don’t let him get away with it this time #Mananawhymara.”

The video can be found here. Readers are warned that the video contains extreme imagery of a violent nature which may be extremely disturbing.

RAMAPHOSA CONDEMNS GBV 

On 1 July, President Cyril Ramaphosa addressed the issue of gender-based violence during a virtual Q&A. Ramaphosa said it’s important that as we deal with the virus, we also deal with the other pandemic which is the abuse and assault of women and children in South Africa. 

“There [are] a number of actions we need to take; not only to defeat coronavirus but also to defeat gender-based violence,” he said. 

“A society where we respect one another; where we respect the women and girls of our country and the children of our country.” 

The president also made clear that rapists and murders should receive a sentence that will put them away for the rest of their life”. Ramaphosa added that rapists and murderers placed themselves “outside of the parameters of what we believe is a life that respects the life of other people”.