Gauteng ANC secretary Jacob Khawe to be probed by integrity commission after wife’s abuse claims

Gauteng ANC secretary Jacob Khawe will be investigated by the party’s national integrity commission over allegations made by his estranged wife of gender-based violence (GBV).

This follows a meeting of the party’s special provincial executive committee (PEC) on Tuesday, which deliberated on how the ANC should deal with the allegations levelled against Khawe.

According to media reports, Khawe’s wife, Nthabeleng, has accused him of abuse and alleged that he had been physically assaulting her since they got married in December 2020.

Khawe denied the claims made by his wife and the couple is reportedly in the process of getting divorced.

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On Wednesday, the ANC in Gauteng said it viewed the allegations against its provincial secretary in a “very serious light”.

The party said that even though no case had been opened against Khawe, the GBV allegations had a negative bearing on the integrity and image of the ANC.

Khawe placed on leave

The ANC said it granted Khawe’s request to be placed on leave in order to deal with the matter.

“Accordingly, the step-aside principle does not apply. However, the PEC is of the view that the veracity and seriousness of these allegations warrant that they must be subjected to the internal organisational process of the ANC in order to establish the truth,” the party said in a statement.

The ANC’s deputy provincial secretary Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko was appointed to act on Khawe’s behalf while the province prepares for regional conferences that are expected to take place in May and the provincial conference in June.

The party emphasised that the integrity commission process was not meant to interfere with the legal processes and rights that any citizen is entitled to.

“The ANC will, through its acting secretary, also maintain communication with the complainant to explain the organisational processes and decisions on this matter so that she can consider whether to participate in the process of the national integrity commission.

“It is our belief that her participation in the integrity commission process will ensure that she tells her side of the story directly.”

Compiled by Thapelo Lekabe

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