ANC chief whip faces suspension

JOHANNESBURG – The women’s wing of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress called on Monday for the immediate suspension of the party’s chief whip in parliament after he was accused of sexual harrassment.

Widespread media reports over the weekend said an employee at the parliament in Cape Town had gone into hiding after she accused Mbulelo Goniwe of harassment after a recent party at his home. Goniwe himself has denied any wrongdoing but the ANC women’s league said that he should be suspended until his name had been cleared.”We condemn in the strongest possible terms any act of sexual harassment and any abuse of office for sexual or any benefit,” the league said in a statement.”We call for the immediate suspension of the ANC chief whip in the National Assembly pending investigations.We will continue to respect his right to be presumed innocent unless proven otherwise by the due process,” it added.The unnamed victim is reported to have received threats since first making the accusation and is currently being looked after by the head of the women’s caucus in the parliament, Vytjie Mentor.”We also view allegations of threats against the victim in a very serious light.We call for the protection and support of the victim for being brave in bringing forward these allegations,” the women’s league said.Goniwe had said he will convene a media briefing in his personal capacity “to clarify the matter.”His predecessor as chief whip, Tony Yengeni, is serving a prison sentence for corruption and is himself in hot water after being photographed drinking beer while on weekend in apparent contravention of his parole conditions.Nampa-AFPGoniwe himself has denied any wrongdoing but the ANC women’s league said that he should be suspended until his name had been cleared.”We condemn in the strongest possible terms any act of sexual harassment and any abuse of office for sexual or any benefit,” the league said in a statement.”We call for the immediate suspension of the ANC chief whip in the National Assembly pending investigations.We will continue to respect his right to be presumed innocent unless proven otherwise by the due process,” it added.The unnamed victim is reported to have received threats since first making the accusation and is currently being looked after by the head of the women’s caucus in the parliament, Vytjie Mentor.”We also view allegations of threats against the victim in a very serious light.We call for the protection and support of the victim for being brave in bringing forward these allegations,” the women’s league said.Goniwe had said he will convene a media briefing in his personal capacity “to clarify the matter.”His predecessor as chief whip, Tony Yengeni, is serving a prison sentence for corruption and is himself in hot water after being photographed drinking beer while on weekend in apparent contravention of his parole conditions.Nampa-AFP