News24 reports that as the ANC’s spokesman Pule Mabe returns to work after being cleared of sexual harassment, his former personal assistant who lodged the complaint against him, has come out in public and rejected the findings.
In a statement released on Thursday, a saddened Kgoerano Kekana said: "I strongly disagree with the outcomes." She accused the grievance panel of ignoring seven of her eight witnesses available to corroborate her version of events and of not even including an account from the only witness the panel heard from in its report on the matter. Kekana described working in the ANC national spokesperson's office as the "most horrible four months" of her life. “The perpetrator has been emboldened by the outcome and gets off scot-free within the organisation. Not only is this an affront towards women, it gives further courage to abusive men to bully female subordinates," said Kekana of the hearing's outcomes. She also lambasted the political party for not having either a sexual harassment policy or a recruitment, appointment and promotion policy. The ANC last week said both Kekana and Mabe had agreed with the party on the outcomes and that she would be absorbed back into Luthuli house to serve in a different department. The former PA, though, has continued to question how the ANC's concluded the matter. She said she was seeking to explore other avenues to get recourse.
- Read the original of Tshidi Madia’s report on this story in full at News24
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