Cosatu Statement on Mbulelo Goniwe 12 - 15 - 06

COSATU statement on Mbulelo Goniwe

The Congress of South African Trade Unions welcomes today's decision of the ANC National Disciplinary Committee to expel its parliamentary chief whip Mbulelo Goniwe from the party and from Parliament, for sexual harassment, and that he is forbidden to stand for public office or publicly represent the ANC for three years.

We have full confidence that the committee would not have come to this conclusion unless there was very clear evidence of that he was guilty of serious misconduct. We therefore accept the committee's verdict and hope it will send the clearest possible message that sexual harassment and other forms of abuse of women will not be tolerated.

It is appropriate that this should have happened while the world was focussed on the 16 days of activism against the abuse of women and children. COSATU has clear policies against sexual harassment, particularly in the workplace, and we hope that the ANC's decisive action will encourage more victims of such abuse to come forward and help us to eradicate this scourge and stand up for their right to be treated with respect.

Patrick Craven (National Spokesperson)

Congress of South African Trade Unions

1-5 Leyds Cnr Biccard Streets

Braamfontein, 2017

P.O.Box 1019

Johannesburg, 2000

SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27 11 339-4911/24

Fax: +27 11 339-5080/6940/ 086 603 9667

Cell: 0828217456

E-Mail: patrick@cosatu.org.za