Picture File: Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana during the ANC national executive committee media briefing. Photo: Gallo Images/Daily Sun/Lucky Morajane
The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) has broken its silence on the sexual harassment criminal complaint opened against Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana.
This after police confirmed a case of alleged sexual harassment had been opened against Godongwana by a massage therapist at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park. The minister has categorically denied this allegation.
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The ANCWL said, on Monday, it had noted with grave concern the sexual assault claims levelled against Godongwana and called on law enforcement agencies to deal with the case swiftly.
The league’s national spokesperson, Maropene Ramokgopa, said they further wanted the ANC to use its internal processes to deal with this matter.
“We call on the law enforcement to deal with the case swiftly and with utmost effectiveness as possible. Our country has increasingly become an unsafe place for women. It is unacceptable that every day there are reports of acts of gender-based violence and femicide being committed against women,” Ramokgopa said in a statement.
Ramokgopa said the ANCWL encouraged and supported all victims of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) to speak out and take the necessary legal action.
She said South Africa should never normalise violence against women and children.
“In South Africa, gender-based violence – which encompasses any kind of violence (physical, sexual, emotional and psychological) against women and children – is widely spread and an issue of serious concern.
“But all of these represent a violation of human dignity and human rights and subsequently have lasting consequences.”
Meanwhile, Godongwana, on Saturday, denied the allegations against him saying he had “always upheld and respected the rights and dignity of women, and this allegation goes against everything I stand for.”
He said in a statement the claims were made over a week ago.
“It appears that the case was opened almost a week after minister Godongwana concluded his private visit to Skukuza in the Kruger National Park.
“The minister has been informed that the case was opened by an employee at Skukuza who was offering massage or services to guests in their rooms.”
At the same time, the EFF called for Godongwana to be immediately removed from office in the wake of sexual harassment allegations.
The party threatened to prevent the minister from addressing any public meetings while he faced these claims.
“Enoch Godongwana must know that he will not have peace as a minister. He will not address any public meeting.
“He must expect disruptions. GBVF must be consciously and unapologetically disrupted and it is the EFF who will do so,” the EFF said in a statement.
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