'Fransman making it worse for himself'

Published Nov 22, 2016

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SHOULD disgraced ANC provincial chairperson Marius Fransman fail in his appeal against his five-year suspension for sexual harassment, his replacement will only be chosen at the party's next provincial general council early next year.

In a statement, the ANC's provincial executive condemned Fransman’s conduct since he was found guilty by the party's national disciplinary committee, particularly his attacks on secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.

Fransman was found guilty by the ANC's national disciplinary committee of bringing the party into disrepute for using his position to seek sexual favours from a 21-year-old Stellenbosch woman while they were travelling to the party’s January 8 birthday celebrations in Rustenburg.

Last week, in an interview with the Cape Times, Fransman referred to Mantashe as the ringleader of a “regime change agenda” in the ANC.

ANC provincial acting chairperson Khaya Magaxa said Fransman’s conduct was “aggravating” his suspension.

The last straw for the ANC’s provincial executive came last week when supporters of Fransman bused school pupils to “occupy” the party's provincial office on the Foreshore.

The Congress of SA Students (Cosas) members, dressed in their school uniforms, demanded that Fransman be reinstated.

“We wish to apologise to the parents of children who were rented to occupy this office of the ANC during exam time.

"We call upon the Congress of South African Students to respect the ANC and this office, and to desist from allowing its membership from being abused to fight narrow interests at the detriment of the future of many kids,” said Magaxa.

He said Fransman had been party to a decision in February to refer the complaint against him to the ANC’s national executive for referral to its integrity commission, the same committee he subsequently slated.

“We are aware that comrade Marius undermined the work of the integrity commission by publicly denouncing it as biased, among other allegations.

“Comrade Marius must take responsibility for his actions and not create imaginary scapegoats."

Fransman’s spokesperson, Vanessa le Roux, fired back, saying Magaxa was “power hungry”.

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@mtyala

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