Anti-Grace Mugabe protests outside SADC summit in South Africa

Anti-Grace Mugabe protests have been staged outside the venue of ongoing Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) summit in South Africa.

Protesters waving placards and chanting calls for the Zimbabwean First Lady to be arrested were stopped by police outside in Pretoria, where the 37th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government is being held.

The protests were being held in the wider context of human rights in the Southern Africa region. Protests were held against Zambian president Edgar Lungu and Joseph Kabila of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Profile: Zimbabwe’s controversial First Lady, Grace Mugabe

Some Anti-Grace Mugabe protesters at #SADCsummit in #SouthAfrica pic.twitter.com/L4aPg6zv1L

— harumutasa/aljazeera (@harumutasa) August 19, 2017

#SADCSummit : Protesters chanting “Arrest Grace please, Grace is a disgrace” outside venue of SADC Summit in Pretoria pic.twitter.com/4uCIVRRLl5

— Povo News (@povonewsafrica) August 19, 2017

The 52-year-old has been unable to leave South Africa since she arrived last week. She is in the middle of an assault case involving a 20-year-old model, Gabriella Engels.

The model says Mrs. Mugabe physically attacked her with an electric cord in an uptown Johannesburg hotel. Her crime was for “hanging out” with her two sons who school in the country.

Her 93-year-old husband is attending the summit but media reports indicate that she has not been cited at the venue. South Africa has been mulling over whether or not she qualifies for diplomatic immunity.

Lawyers representing the model have, however, warned the government against the “immunity” overtures stressing that they will sue the government if Mrs. Mugabe is allowed to leave without appearing before court.

#SADCsummit protest against human rights abuses …. in pictures #SouthAfrica #Pretoria pic.twitter.com/Ljkqcjsuna

— harumutasa/aljazeera (@harumutasa) August 19, 2017

#SADCSummit civil society grps plan 2 protest ref:human rights abuse. These people from #DRC are angry President Kabila is in #southafrica, pic.twitter.com/9SaNc7hLIG

— harumutasa/aljazeera (@harumutasa) August 19, 2017