The African National Congress (ANC) is on Wednesday mulling over what steps to take against members of Parliament from the party who use allegations of gender-based violence for political gain.
The ANC and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) clashed during Tuesday’s debate on the State of the Nation Address.
ANC MP Boy Mamabolo claimed EFF leader Julius Malema abuses his wife while the red beret leader accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of assaulting his late former wife.
The ANC’s Pule Mabe said the ANC viewed the matter in a serious light.
“We need to assure society that we are serious about gender-based violence. We cannot allow gender-based violence to be trivialised in that manner. We expect all members of Parliament, the men and women deployed out there, to be responsible.”
At the same time, lawyers representing Malema’s wife, Mantoa, have now sent Mamabolo a letter demanding he retracts his accusations of domestic abuse.
She said the claims were abusive to her and her children.
Earlier anti-gender-based violence groups called on the two parties to provide evidence to back up these accusations.