More women have come out to level allegations of sexual misconduct against suspended ActionSA Gauteng secretary Abel Tau.
This comes in the wake of a sexual assault charge laid against him last month before he was suspended by his party pending the outcome of a disciplinary hearing. He has also been suspended by the city of Tshwane from his position as member of the mayoral committee for human settlements.
As more skeletons tumble out of Tau’s closet, a former ActionSA member, who was involved in campaigning for the party during last year’s local government elections, has also come forward with serious claims against Tau. She alleged she was raped after the politician told her that she would not get any position within the party if she did not sleep with him.
“I knew that one day he will find himself in trouble as Abel is used to this thing of demanding sex for favours. If you refuse, he forces himself on you. He pursued me in August last year, and told me that if I don’t sleep with him, he will destroy my political career and dreams.
“I ended up giving in to his demands … but it was not consensual. I ended up leaving ActionSA after what he did to me, and I am glad that finally someone was bold enough to take him head on,” said the woman.
Another woman who was Tau’s colleague when they were still members of the DA, claims that in 2019, the politician tried to force himself on her.
“He tried to force himself on me at the wedding celebration of his son. I was shocked and pushed him off.”
The third woman who was Tau’s colleague when he was the MMC of utilities in the DA-controlled city of Tshwane alleges that she was impregnated by Tau before he ordered her to terminate the pregnancy.
“I had to abort because I was respecting his marriage. When I tried to speak to him, he was dismissive and told me that he was always busy. I walked away despite being with him for years.”
It is believed that three women are lined up to testify as state witnesses when the matter goes to court next year.
They are also believed to have spoken to the husband of the woman who has formally lodged a case of attempted rape against Tau. In his response, Tau said: “It’s easy for politicians to be tried in the court of public opinion. I have never forced myself on any woman. People are jealous of my success. I don’t like to be associated with gender-based violence. It’s all a lie. People just want money from me.”
“I have been married for 23 years and I can’t be going around forcing myself on women as I love my wife. People think that I believe that women love me. It would be very low of me to go around forcing myself to women. When you are in a position like mine, there will always be people who want to take short cuts to the top.”
