Political analyst Somadoda Fikeni says the African National Congress (ANC) needs to move swiftly whenever its members are accused of sexual harassment. Fikeni’s statement comes after the ANC confirmed that its Acting National Spokesperson Zizi Kodwa had been accused of rape.
The party’s Deputy Secretary-General Jessie Duarte told the media at Luthuli House on Saturday that Kodwa’s accuser sent a letter to the ANC Secretary-General’s office and that they had advised her to go to the police.
This comes days after the party’s National Spokesperson Pule Mabe was cleared of sexual harassment allegations made by his former personal assistant.
Fikeni says the ANC cannot afford to wash its hands because violence against women is a sensitive and widespread issue.
“They ought to suspend the individual until his name is cleared. The law enforcement involvement is equally important because in the previous case of Pule Mabe, when their internal processes seemed to absolve, was a very negative clash. You do have people who will comment on the case. What is most (important) is to steer the course and do the right thing.”
