Goniwe's expulsion was the result of an internal disciplinary process in which the ANC found him guilty of having sexually harassed his administrative assistant.
It later transpired that the murder of the Cradock Four had followed a recommendation by the State Security Council that Goniwe, his uncle, and Fort Calata should "as a matter of urgency, be permanently removed from society".
Goniwe denied allegations that he and the ANC attempted to manage the fallout from the scandal by "sacrificing" junior MPs, encouraging them to accept plea bargains while protecting more senior party figures.
[19] On 16 November 2006, the ANC announced that Goniwe would be placed on leave pending the outcome of an internal party disciplinary process arising from a sexual harassment complaint against him (see below).
[22] Nicholas Dawes of the Mail & Guardian suggested that Goniwe's junior colleagues in Parliament did not support him during the sexual harassment scandal – and even actively publicised the charges against him – because of their "animosity" towards him, arising from his role in enforcing the ANC's response to Travelgate.
[25] In mid-November 2006, the Sunday Times reported that a 21-year-old administration assistant had accused Goniwe of sexual harassment after an incident at his house in Acacia Park during a dinner party on 25 October.
[20] The hearing was conducted by the NDC, which was chaired by Kader Asmal and also included Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, Susan Shabangu, and Luwellyn Landers.
[21] The NDC therefore found him guilty of abusing his office to obtain sexual advantage and of bringing the ANC into disrepute through unbecoming behaviour.
[32] His lawyers also said that he had won a lawsuit against the ANC in a default judgement, receiving damages of R1.2 million to compensate for his loss of income after his dismissal on what he perceived as "prejudiced and unfair" grounds.
[33] In October 2006, it was reported that Goniwe was being sued for unpaid child maintenance in respect of two children he had fathered with a teacher in Queenstown, Eastern Cape.
[14] That court action continued while Goniwe was facing the sexual harassment charge,[34] and in July 2007 a warrant of arrest was issued after he failed to appear at a maintenance hearing.