Cape Town - The suspension of Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz has prompted him to request he be excused from his duties as provincial DA leader until the end of February.
DA Western Cape chairperson Jaco Londt confirmed Fritz had requested to be excused as provincial leader.
"The PEC accepted this and the deputy leader MEC Tertuis Simmers will be acting leader for the time being," said Londt.
This comes after Premier Alan Winde released a statement on Sunday evening indicating he had suspended Fritz following "serious allegations" pertaining to his conduct.
According to media reports Fritz’s suspension is linked to sexual assault allegations that were purportedly levelled against him by young employees.
Londt said: "We view these allegations in a very serious light and the investigation must be allowed to run its course unhindered."
Odette Cason, from the Office of the Premier, said Winde had always taken the stance on being as open and transparent as possible with the citizens of the Western Cape.
"We understand that there are many questions around the suspension of MEC Fritz; however, at this stage we cannot divulge further information on the matter until an independent investigator has determined the full extent of the allegations and their veracity," said Cason.
She said it would be unfair to the people who made those allegations to the premier, under requests for confidentiality, and indeed the MEC too, for the premier to provide details of what is being investigated, the publication of which may well severely compromise the investigation.