The civil rights watchdog AfriForum takes note that the South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation granted diplomatic immunity to the Zimbabwean president’s wife, Mrs Grace Mugabe, after she allegedly assaulted Miss Gabriella Engels in a hotel in Sandton last week.
“Mrs Mugabe’s departure to Zimbabwe and the granting of diplomatic immunity by the South African government to her is however not the end of the matter,” says Willie Spies, AfriForum’s legal representative. He says that AfriForum already gave notice on Friday that the organisation will assist Miss Engels in bringing a review application in order to set aside the decision to grant diplomatic immunity to Mrs Mugabe.
“If the review application is successful (and there are very good grounds to believe that such an application will indeed be successful) the doors will be open for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to prosecute Mrs Mugabe. If the NPA refuses to prosecute, AfriForum’s private prosecuting unit, under the leadership of Adv. Gerrie Nel, is ready to go ahead with private prosecution on behalf of Miss Engels. Whether Mrs Mugabe is in South Africa or not and although diplomatic immunity has been granted to her, the last word has not been spoken regarding this matter,” says Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum.
“The fight for justice for Zimbabwe and for Miss Engels will therefore go ahead until it is won,” says Spies.