The DA has called for the ANC to immediately suspend its Western Cape leader‚ Marius Fransman‚ after reports he was being investigated by the police for sexual assault.“The ANC must act against its loose-cannon Western Cape leader‚ or be seen to approve of his alleged sexual assault‚” the DA’s Western Cape leader, Patricia de Lille said yesterday.
The matter is likely to hurt the ANC in the Western Cape as it prepares to do battle with the DA in the upcoming municipal elections.
North West police spokesman Sebata Mokgwabone said yesterday a case had been opened‚ but no arrests had been made.
The case was opened in Rustenburg‚ where the party is holding its 104th birthday celebrations.
According to News24‚ ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the party was aware that a sexual harassment charge had been opened against Fransman. “We have been in touch with Marius to get an explanation. Of course the law must take its course‚” said Kodwa.
De Lille said the desperate fight in South Africa against the scourge of sexual and domestic abuse was tragically undermined when political leaders faced sexual assault charges.
“Fransman’s checkered record shows that he is not fit to hold office in any political party,” she said.
“Fransman’s connections to Western Cape gangsters have showed him to be an unscrupulous politician who takes advantage of people for his own gain.
“Sexual assault charges against Fransman must be investigated by the SAPS‚ but the ANC must immediately suspend Fransman for this latest scandal around its beleaguered Western Cape leader.”
The Congress of the People said the police must ensure the complainant received the full protection of the law given that in other sexual harassment cases “police protect those in prominent positions at the expense of the woman who has been sexually molested or violated”.
COPE said the problem of serious sexual harassment and of rape had become so severe in South Africa as to warrant the sternest legal action regardless of who the culprit was.
The Economic Freedom Fighters claimed that North West premier and ANC chairman Supra Mahumapelo‚ tried to suppress the sexual harassment complaint against Fransman
The EFF said Mahumapelo was “trying to use his power as premier of the province to communicate with the provincial police commissioner to suppress the case”.
The EFF added its voice to calls for Fransman to be suspended while the matter was probed by the police.
Kodwa said police should be allowed to investigate the matter.
“We must reaffirm our position as the ANC in terms of respect to women. It is important to always reaffirm that position....”
He said Fransman had explained to the ANC what had happened, but the party was aware that this was only one side of the matter.
“It’s a matter under investigation. It’s one side. In any case it may be important to allow police so that we don’t prejudice the complainant in the case.”
The ANC in the Western Cape said it would meet to discuss the allegations against Fransman and release a full statement.
This is another blow for the party’s leadership in the Western Cape.
Last month, ANC Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs was placed on precautionary suspension after being accused of beating up a colleague for failing to write a report on the organisation.
A disciplinary process is still under way to determine his fate.
Calls for ANC to suspend Fransman
“The ANC must act against its loose-cannon Western Cape leader‚ or be seen to approve of his alleged sexual assault‚” the DA’s Western Cape leader, Patricia de Lille said yesterday.
The matter is likely to hurt the ANC in the Western Cape as it prepares to do battle with the DA in the upcoming municipal elections.
North West police spokesman Sebata Mokgwabone said yesterday a case had been opened‚ but no arrests had been made.
The case was opened in Rustenburg‚ where the party is holding its 104th birthday celebrations.
According to News24‚ ANC national spokesman Zizi Kodwa said the party was aware that a sexual harassment charge had been opened against Fransman. “We have been in touch with Marius to get an explanation. Of course the law must take its course‚” said Kodwa.
De Lille said the desperate fight in South Africa against the scourge of sexual and domestic abuse was tragically undermined when political leaders faced sexual assault charges.
“Fransman’s checkered record shows that he is not fit to hold office in any political party,” she said.
“Fransman’s connections to Western Cape gangsters have showed him to be an unscrupulous politician who takes advantage of people for his own gain.
“Sexual assault charges against Fransman must be investigated by the SAPS‚ but the ANC must immediately suspend Fransman for this latest scandal around its beleaguered Western Cape leader.”
The Congress of the People said the police must ensure the complainant received the full protection of the law given that in other sexual harassment cases “police protect those in prominent positions at the expense of the woman who has been sexually molested or violated”.
COPE said the problem of serious sexual harassment and of rape had become so severe in South Africa as to warrant the sternest legal action regardless of who the culprit was.
The Economic Freedom Fighters claimed that North West premier and ANC chairman Supra Mahumapelo‚ tried to suppress the sexual harassment complaint against Fransman
The EFF said Mahumapelo was “trying to use his power as premier of the province to communicate with the provincial police commissioner to suppress the case”.
The EFF added its voice to calls for Fransman to be suspended while the matter was probed by the police.
Kodwa said police should be allowed to investigate the matter.
“We must reaffirm our position as the ANC in terms of respect to women. It is important to always reaffirm that position....”
He said Fransman had explained to the ANC what had happened, but the party was aware that this was only one side of the matter.
“It’s a matter under investigation. It’s one side. In any case it may be important to allow police so that we don’t prejudice the complainant in the case.”
The ANC in the Western Cape said it would meet to discuss the allegations against Fransman and release a full statement.
This is another blow for the party’s leadership in the Western Cape.
Last month, ANC Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs was placed on precautionary suspension after being accused of beating up a colleague for failing to write a report on the organisation.
A disciplinary process is still under way to determine his fate.
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