Letsike calls for home affairs to act after threats against women in Sandton

Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Mmapaseka Steve Letsike has called on the department of home affairs to consider action against a man accused of threatening women with lethal violence at a Sandton establishment after they rejected his advances.

Letsike on Monday condemned the alleged misogynistic conduct and welcomed a series of consequences following the incident, including the man’s removal from his corporate positions and the termination of his lease.

The deputy minister also confirmed that her office would petition the home affairs minister to urgently consider the man’s presence and immigration status in South Africa.

The man, publicly identified in the statement as Lawrence Chamurwa Mudzinganyama, has been processed by the South African Police Service (Saps) and is expected to appear in court on 1 October, 2026.

Letsike calls for immigration action

Letsike called on home affairs to establish whether Mudzinganyama meets the legal grounds for classification as a prohibited or undesirable person under sections 29 or 30 of the Immigration Act.

“If he meets the statutory grounds for classification as a prohibited or undesirable person under sections 29 or 30 of the Immigration Act, the department must act decisively and impose the full consequences permitted by law.”

Her office will petition the minister on the matter.

Letsike said the threats captured on video could not be dismissed as an unfortunate exchange or a momentary loss of temper.

She said the incident reflected the dangerous entitlement underlying gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), in which a woman’s autonomy is treated as an insult to male authority and she is punished for exercising it.

“Rejection, anger, intoxication, wealth or social standing, perceived or real, can never excuse the harassment, humiliation or threatening of any woman in the Republic, as our constitution guarantees all women an inalienable right to agency,” the statement reads.

She also echoed the condemnation issued by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and Substance Abuse, while stressing that the courts must determine criminal liability.

Corporate consequences after Sandton incident

Letsike welcomed Moriel Infrastructure Group’s removal of Mudzinganyama as executive chair and director, as well as Steyn City Properties’ termination of his lease.

She also welcomed investigations ordered by ministers Barbara Creecy and Dean Macpherson into the company’s South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) contracts and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) gradings.

The deputy minister said these measures demonstrated that abusive conduct could carry consequences beyond the criminal justice system.

However, she stressed that the actions did not replace the criminal investigation and that no one should prejudge the judicial process.

“These interventions demonstrate what a whole-of-society response should look like. Accountability must follow a perpetrator into every space from which power, status or impunity is derived,” Letsike said.

“There must be criminal accountability where an offence has been committed, professional and corporate accountability where codes of conduct have been violated, and public-sector accountability wherever state contracts or public resources are involved.”

‘Women must be able to say no’

Letsike said South Africa could not normalise the language of murder or treat threats against women as entertainment, particularly as the country confronts high levels of violence against women.

She called on society to reject such behaviour wherever it occurs and stand with women who speak out.

The deputy minister said perpetrators of GBVF must have no place to hide within South Africa’s borders.

“Women must be able to say no and continue with their lives without fear of retaliation,” the statement reads.

The department said the swift response from public- and private-sector stakeholders demonstrated the need for accountability wherever abusive conduct occurs.

The judicial process will now determine criminal liability in the Sandton incident, while the department pursues its call for home affairs to consider the man’s immigration status.