MEC’s GBV case returns to court

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MEC's GBV case returns to court
VICTIM: Public works MEC Mohita Latchminarain whose assault case against her husband returns to the Mbombela Magistrates Court on Friday. PICTURE Mpumalanga News

She had laid a case against hubby Mahendra (43).


Public works MEC Mohita Latchminarain’s gender-based violence case returns to the Mbombela Magistrates Court.

It will sit again Friday 25 June 2021.

Some ANC members are expected to come to court to support her while the magistrate hears the assault case.

The 33-year-old MEC laid a case of assault against her husband Mahendra Latchminarain (44) after he allegedly hit her.

Since Mohita was elected a member of the legislature in 2019, the couple’s marriage had been rocked by difficulties – with hubby not happy about the endless meetings that his wife must attend.

In November 2019, Mahendra accused Mohita of cheating with finance MEC Vusi Mkhatshwa when an anonymous message was delivered to his phone that while his wife was in Cape Town on Parliamentary work, he was with Mkhatshwa.

Some ANC members are expected to come to court to support her while the magistrate hears the assault case.

Mahendra immediately got angry and penned a letter to Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane, accusing her of not doing enough to ensure that as members get deployed “their marriages and lives are not shattered into millions of pieces by dishonour of this nature”.

He later withdrew this, apologising for being a “jealous husband”, claiming the message he received was fake and the chats leaked to him allegedly between Mkhatshwa and her wife were created on a computer”.

“I love my wife,” he said.

MEC's GBV case returns to court

The ANCYL’s Themba Mpila said they are coming to court to support a woman who is a victim of abuse.

“This case must be the epitome of bringing confidence to all the women that are abused, so they may know there is justice,” Mpila said.

“As young people we demand that the verdict always favour the victims so that it inspires others to come forward, because there are many who are subjected to abuse but are scared to come out, because they don’t believe in the justice system,” he told Mpumalanga News on 24 May 2021 when the case was sitting.

(edited by ZK)
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