#MduduziManana: Public violence caught on camera

LISTEN: Social media law expert Verlie Oosthuizen chats to East Coast Breakfast on the #MduduziManana case: 

Whilst out for a night on the town in Johannesburg, Deputy Minister of Education Mduduzi Manana got into an altercation with a female which ended with him assaulting her outside a restaurant. He has tried to play down his actions somewhat by saying that he reacted to "extreme provocation". 

The reality is that he is a cabinet minister, which means that he is required, by virtue of his position, to be a fit and proper person. It is unlikely that any scenario where a man is seen beating a woman in this manner could be regarded as "fit and proper". Also, as a public figure, he has to accept that the levels of privacy that he can reasonably expect are more limited than that of an ordinary citizen. In this case anyway, he was in a public space and so the amount of privacy anyone can expect is reduced.

Everyone, and especially public figures, need to remember that everyone with a smartphone is potentially a cameraman and unruly behaviour is likely to be recorded and posted online. 

If your conduct is indefensible without cameras recording you, then it will be likely to attract condemnation if it is recorded and posted online. And if you are supposed to be at the highest level of authority in the country and you behave like that on your "down time", then you should not expect too much sympathy from your countrymen.

Verlie Oosthuizen

Here is the video of Mduduzi Manana assaulting a female at an undisclosed restaurant:

Here's Twitter's reaction #MduduziManana: 

What steps should be taken against the Minister?