Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance (DA) led a protest to the Western Cape provincial parliament in Cape Town on Friday, demanding the resignation of provincial African National Congress (ANC) leader Marius Fransman.
“As leader of the opposition, and a holder of high political office in the ANC, Fransman is undermining the fight against sexual and domestic abuse in South Africa,” said DA Western Cape deputy leader Bonginkosi Madikizela.
Referring to the allegation of a sexual nature recently opened against “the beleaguered” and “compromised” Fransman, Madikizela said the ANC’s delay in acting on the allegation was unacceptable.
“To date, the ANC has done nothing to suspend or exclude Marius Fransman from the office where the alleged victim works and is employed,” he said.
“It can only be seen to support Fransman, rather than supporting the fight against sexual and domestic abuse.”
Madikizela said that victims of sexual abuse took “enormous courage” in reporting perpetrators and that “no amount of political prominence or political connectedness should shield an accused offender from accountability”.
Thus, he said, the DA had handed over its demand in writing to Western Cape speaker Sharna Fernandez for delivery to the ANC in the provincial parliament.
“The ANC must treat this demand with the full seriousness it deserves,” said Madikizela.
A case was opened against Fransman on Friday January 8 in Rustenburg, North West. The complainant is a 20-year-old female understood to be in the employ of the ANC in the Western Cape.
African News Agency
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