ANC RESPONDS TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 004838

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/S

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/26/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PHUM KWMN KJUS SF
SUBJECT: ANC RESPONDS TO SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS


Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Don Teitelbaum.
Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (SBU) ANC National Assembly Chief Whip Mbuelo Goniwe was
effectively stripped of his powers on 17 November, pending
the outcome of a hearing by the party's National Disciplinary
Committee (NDC). Goniwe is alleged to have demanded sex from
a 21-year-old ANC intern on 25 October after she served
dinner to guests celebrating his birthday. The Chairperson
of the ANC parliamentary caucus, Vytjie Mentor, has confirmed
publicly that the alleged victim reported her concerns to the
female Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete. Kader
Asmal, of the NDC, also confirmed that there is evidence of
attempts by ANC members to pressure the complainant to drop
the charges. In the meantime, the NDC announced that Goniwe
will remain on a leave of absence until January, when the
case is heard.

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CASE PROGRESSION BYPASSES MALES
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2. (SBU) Thus far, the case's progression has been anything
but linear. Mentor first took the complaint to the women's
caucus and parliament's female presiding officers after the
incident was reported to her. The women's caucus then
forwarded their recommendations to the ANC national
leadership. Mentor has admitted that she did not take the
case to caucus whips because they are predominantly male and
led by Goniwe. The male-dominated ruling party's main caucus
has yet to make an official comment. (COMMENT: The ANC
likely is dealing with the matter because the alleged victim
is an intern under the employ of the ANC, not the institution
of Parliament. Post is not aware of any criminal complaint
being lodged against Goniwe at this point. END COMMENT.)

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WOMEN'S LEAGUE BACK IN SPOTLIGHT
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3. (C) The ANC Women's League, which has been relatively
quiet since coming out strongly against former Deputy
President Jacob Zuma during his rape trial, was the first to
call publicly for Goniwe's immediate suspension earlier this
week. In its statement, the Women's League said that while
it respected Goniwe's right to be presumed innocent until
proven guilty, it condemned "in the strongest terms any act
of sexual harassment and any abuse of office for sexual or
any other benefit." (NOTE: Goniwe is alleged to have said,
"I thought you were a good Xhosa girl. How can you say no to
your Chief Whip as if I am an ordinary man?") The General
Secretary of the Women's League, Bathabile Dlamini, told

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PolCouns on 21 November that her members originally wanted to
call for his immediate dismissal, but eventually settled on a
more balanced statement. Dlamini also added that the ANC's
National Executive Committee (NEC) was caught off-guard by
their timely and strong statement, even though the Women's
League has warned the NEC that women "have had it" with
sexual harassment. Though the ANC has responded quickly,
Dlamini is not optimistic about long-term results, repeating
three times that males within the party are now "closing
ranks."

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NOT NEW TO CONTROVERSY
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4. (SBU) This is not the first time Goniwe has been
embroiled in controversy. According to press reports, Goniwe
was accused of sexually harassing another woman in the
Eastern Cape in August 2005. The woman told reporters that
she lodged a complaint with several Provincial Executive
Committee members, but never heard back. Goniwe has come
under fire more recently for apparently failing to pay
roughly $100 USD a month in child support for two of his
children (NOTE: Goniwe is rumored to have additional
children with at least two other parliamentary staff.) Thus
far, he has invoked parliamentary privilege to prevent the
serving of legal papers ordering child support on Parliament
grounds.


5. (U) An anonymous fax complaining of more widespread
sexual harassment in Parliament also has been circulated to
members of the ANC caucus and Women's League this week. The
fax, which focuses largely on Goniwe and another male MP,
alleges that some male MPs display an attitude of sexual
entitlement which results in not only day-to-day harassment,

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but also an entrenched pattern of insisting on sexual favors
in return for career advancement.

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TRADITIONALISTS UNHAPPY WITH GOVERNMENT RESPONSE
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6. (SBU) The alleged victim's family reportedly prefers to
have traditional leaders in the Eastern Cape handle the
matter. Edward Bezana, a human rights lawyer and family
spokesperson, said the alleged victim was supposed to have
attended a meeting with both families, elders, and local
chiefs on 03 November to discuss the matter, but she did not
show, choosing instead to bring her complaint to the ANC.
Mentor has protected the alleged victim from attempts by
family members to force her to return home to face a
traditional court. According to Bezana, if Goniwe were found
guilty, he could be fined five cows, but the outcome would
never be publicly known because of the disgraceful nature of
the claims.


7. (SBU) The alleged victim's father also has complained
that the incident has been "deliberately exaggerated" and
that his daughter is being used in a political campaign by
certain people with their own agenda. (NOTE: The father is
likely referring to Goniwe's bid for the position of Eastern
Cape Secretary. Goniwe told reporters he will let the four
regions that nominated him decide whether he should still run
in the election next week. END NOTE.) Though one family
member has commended her strength, others have branded her
"disrespectful," contending that her allegations are dividing
the people of Pondoland because Goniwe is also their "son."

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COMMENT
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8. (C) On the eve of the national campaign, "Sixteen Days of
Activism Against the Abuse of Women and Children," the ANC's
swift and public action should be commended. However, it is
unclear if the ANC would have taken such disciplinary action
had the ANC Women's League not been so vocal or had
Chairperson Mentor left the matter to the male-dominated
caucus whips. The reactions of Goniwe's colleagues who tried
to pressure the victim into recanting her statement and the
role traditional leaders are trying to play all support the
Women's League's argument that South Africa still has a long
road ahead before sexual harassment becomes unacceptable or
even punishable.


9. (C) If Goniwe is permanently dismissed, which is widely
expected, a new election for a Chief Whip will have to take
place amidst an intensifying succession race within the
party. While the Chief Whip does not set policy, he or she
enforces it and the position remains high-profile. An
eventual Goniwe replacement will most likely be one of the
existing Committee Chairpersons who have shown a tendency to
enforce ANC policy without question.

BOST