African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) MP, Cheryllyn Dudley, says she accepted an apology from a fellow MP for alleged sexual harassment only to end the ”tedious” matter.
Last week, she lodged a complaint of sexual harassment with Parliament against African National Congress (ANC) MP Bangilizwe Solo, after he made suggestive remarks to her in the House.
Dudley told Sapa on Thursday Solo had accosted her on her way out of the Assembly — a day after she questioned Deputy President, Jacob Zuma, about a loveLife initiative on adolescent sexuality in schools — and asked her to ”show him oral sex”.
Solo’s ”disgusting remarks” had nothing at all to do with debates in the House on the day he made them, she said.
On Wednesday, Solo asked for an opportunity to make a declaration in the Assembly, and, saying the remarks were made in a certain context, apologised ”if he had offended anyone”, which Dudley then accepted.
But, on Thursday, she said: ”I went into the House yesterday afternoon with the intention of accepting an apology from Mr Solo.
”I unfortunately heard no apology addressed to myself, and the general apology to the House sounded more like excuses to me than an apology, but I accepted it anyway as I am sure this matter is now as tedious for everyone else as it has been for me,” Dudley said.
”This experience started off as offensive, and unfortunately even with all the support I had from all parties, was humiliating and unpleasant, and although I can think of no better way to handle such a situation, I feel Mr Solo was able to make light of it, and the repercussions are unlikely to dissuade others from such behaviour.
”My reason for having pursued this matter was in the hope that in future Mr Solo and others would think twice before speaking to anyone in this manner again,” Dudley said.
In a letter, also on Thursday, she thanked the Speaker and Deputy Speaker, the ANC Whips and other MPs, ”who took this matter seriously and gave of their time to apply their minds to how such incidences should be dealt with”. – Sapa