The African National Congress Interim Provincial Committee (IPC) in the North West has temporarily suspended the membership of an ANC councillor in the Moses Kotane Local Municipality who is accused of rape.
Councillor Thomas Manganye recently appeared in the Mogwase Magistrate’s court on charges of statutory rape.
The matter has been postponed to the 17th of next month for further investigation.
ANC IPC Spokesperson Kenny Morolong says Manganye will be temporarily suspended until his matter is finalised.
“The Interim Provincial Working Committee in terms of the ANC constitution temporarily suspended the membership of comrade TR Manganye….The charges that comrade Manganye faces are of grave nature and have the potential to harm the image and integrity of the organisation.”
In November last year, gender activists criticised the ANC for reinstating a member, accused of rape, to the Provincial Executive Committee in Mpumalanga.
The PEC member is alleged to have raped two young girls and is currently out on R20 000 bail.
Gender activist and the leader of Women Forward, Nana Ngobese-Nxumalo, has raised questions over the ANC’s ethical behaviour as the country observes 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
“The ANC becomes part of the problem here because the ethical part is what the ANC is supposed to be standing for. The fact that that person has gone back into that powerful position, he is already telling many other culprits like him that it is OK as long as there are technicalities to run away from what you have done. The very same man was accused of the very same act before. He has been accused of having raped someone before. So, these people become smart in running away not only from the law, but they also get into organisations of power where they hide using the organisation like the ANC.”
