Pretoria - It never rains but it pours for suspended Tshwane MMC for Human Settlements Abel Tau.
It has now emerged that mayor Randall Williams wants him to be investigated for allegedly coercing a municipal employee into a sexual relationship with him.
In addition, according to Williams, Tau must be investigated for the alleged inappropriate use of City resources for personal use while he was on leave.
Tau – who is also an ActionSA Gauteng provincial secretary – was last month placed on forced leave after it surfaced that he was facing allegations of attempted rape levelled against him by the wife of his friend.
The mayor has undertaken to write to council speaker Dr Murunwa Makwarela to test investigations whether Tau’s alleged conduct was in breach of the code of conduct for councillors.
The move by Williams comes in light of the latest accusations against Tau by three unidentified women, who reportedly claimed he also sexually assaulted them. One was identified as a municipal employee.
According to reports, the National Prosecuting Authority decided to prosecute Tau on attempted rape charges brought by his friend’s wife. His case is due in court in March next year.
The other women, who claimed to have suffered sexual assault at Tau’s hands, were reportedly willing to testify against him in court.
The alleged attempted rape incident took place at Tau’s Pretoria residence after he had gone on a drinking spree with his friend. His friend reportedly passed out after he had too many drinks, and Tau called his wife to fetch him.
On the arrival of the woman, Tau allegedly made sexual advances to her, but she turned him down.
Tau previously told the Pretoria News the media report was riddled with “untruths”, refuting claims that he invited the woman to his house.
According to him, the woman was called by her husband.
“There is evidence that he is the one who called the wife,” he said.
Tau subsequently released a media statement, saying he would not comment any further on the matter.
ActionSA Gauteng had since suspended him from party activities after the matter was brought to the attention of its leadership.
Commenting on the latest allegations against Tau, Williams said: “According to media reports, one of the allegations pertains to a personal relationship with a City employee, which may have resulted in an alleged abuse of power. Another incident relates to the alleged inappropriate use of City resources for personal use while councillor Tau was on leave.”
He said he would ask Makwarela to have both allegations investigated “as they could be in breach of the code of conduct for councillors and will need to be scrutinised further”.
“As a multiparty coalition government, we have agreed to drive good governance,” Williams said.
Pretoria News