The chief whip of the Democratic Alliance in the Bhisho legislature, Edmund van Vuuren, 60, has become embroiled in an alleged sex harassment scandal.
This follows a 25-year-old DA employee based in the Bhisho legislature filing a case against him.
Van Vuuren yesterday declined to comment, saying he had yet to receive any charges and therefore the allegations remained “rumours” to him.
The DA’s head of federal council, James Selfe, confirmed receiving a complaint implicating a DA MPL in the Eastern Cape yesterday.
He would not be drawn into discussing the merits of the complaint nor details of the parties involved.
“Yes , I believe I have received it . I haven’t been in my office for a while. I have been in meetings all day. I haven’t had a chance to properly interrogate it,” said Selfe.
DA caucus leader at the legislature, and deputy party leader in the province, Bobby Stevenson, said the DA took the case seriously and swift action had been taken.
“I immediately acted on the complaint and it has been referred to the office of the chair of the federal executive who will place it before the federal legal commission,” he said.
Stevenson said he contacted Van Vuuren and informed him of the allegations levelled against him.
“I personally called Edmund and I told him of the complaint.”
Dispatch can reveal that the woman, who recently married, filed the formal complaint this week.
Van Vuuren said: “The only thing I am going to say is that I don’t know anything.
“I have decided not to comment because the party must show me what is said about me and I will challenge it.”
Some members of the DA caucus staff wrote to the female caucus members, asking for support with the complaint.
The e-mail stated the matter had been reported before to a member of the caucus who tried to deter the complainant “from taking further action”.
After the e-mail was sent, Stevenson sent a memo notifying staff and MPLs of the complaint and instructing members to not influence any staff member.
Stevenson wrote: “This serves to inform you that no one is to duly influence staff members in this regard noting that there is a pending investigation into the matter.”
DA chief in sex scandal
This follows a 25-year-old DA employee based in the Bhisho legislature filing a case against him.
Van Vuuren yesterday declined to comment, saying he had yet to receive any charges and therefore the allegations remained “rumours” to him.
The DA’s head of federal council, James Selfe, confirmed receiving a complaint implicating a DA MPL in the Eastern Cape yesterday.
He would not be drawn into discussing the merits of the complaint nor details of the parties involved.
“Yes , I believe I have received it . I haven’t been in my office for a while. I have been in meetings all day. I haven’t had a chance to properly interrogate it,” said Selfe.
DA caucus leader at the legislature, and deputy party leader in the province, Bobby Stevenson, said the DA took the case seriously and swift action had been taken.
“I immediately acted on the complaint and it has been referred to the office of the chair of the federal executive who will place it before the federal legal commission,” he said.
Stevenson said he contacted Van Vuuren and informed him of the allegations levelled against him.
“I personally called Edmund and I told him of the complaint.”
Dispatch can reveal that the woman, who recently married, filed the formal complaint this week.
Van Vuuren said: “The only thing I am going to say is that I don’t know anything.
“I have decided not to comment because the party must show me what is said about me and I will challenge it.”
Some members of the DA caucus staff wrote to the female caucus members, asking for support with the complaint.
The e-mail stated the matter had been reported before to a member of the caucus who tried to deter the complainant “from taking further action”.
After the e-mail was sent, Stevenson sent a memo notifying staff and MPLs of the complaint and instructing members to not influence any staff member.
Stevenson wrote: “This serves to inform you that no one is to duly influence staff members in this regard noting that there is a pending investigation into the matter.”
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