[6] However, he did not complete his term in the legislature: in December 2017, he was sworn in as the Executive Mayor of Emfuleni Local Municipality, succeeding the controversial Simon Mofokeng.
[7] The ANC Youth League later congratulated Khawe on turning the municipality around, while the Daily Maverick's Qaanitah Hunter labelled his turnaround campaign a "notorious" failure.
[15] In April 2022, near the end of Khawe's term as ANC Provincial Secretary, his wife Nthabeleng alleged on social media that he had physically abused her regularly since they married in December 2020.
At a special meeting, the leadership of the Gauteng ANC resolved to refer the allegations for further investigation by the party's national Integrity Commission.
[16] Although he agreed to cooperate with the internal ANC inquiry,[16] Khawe denied the allegations, and, since no criminal charge had been laid against him, he was not required by party policy to "step aside".
[1] Khawe was formerly married to fellow Gauteng politicians Khusela Diko (née Sangoni) and, until her death in November 2019, Thuliswa Nkabinde-Khawe.