Durban - As politicians in the Western Cape call for ANC provincial leader Marius Fransman to step down after allegations he sexually harassed a 20-year-old woman, he has spoken out to “set the record straight”.
Fransman was accused last week of sexually harassing a woman on the eve of the ANC’s 104th anniversary celebrations in Rustenberg in North West province.
He has avoided attempts to have him removed or suspended, first earlier in the week at a top-five ANC executive committee meeting, and on Friday at a meeting in the Overberg where the party’s provincial executive rejected calls for his suspension.
Fransman yesterday, hit out at “those who have stooped to the lowest level to use unsubstantiated rumours and innuendo to settle internal ANC scores and implement a leadership change plot aimed at influencing the candidate list in the upcoming local government elections”.
It was reported last week that the woman accused Fransman of sexually molesting her on the journey between Cape Town and Rustenberg.
The report, based on information in the police docket, stated that “along the way, Fransman, who was driving, swopped with his friend and sat in the back with her, where he started touching her inappropriately”.
“On Tuesday, January 5, at about 2.19am, they arrived at the Flamingo Hotel in Kimberley whereby she was forced to share the bed with the suspect and he would wrap his arms over her and rubbed himself against her, touching her breasts,” the docket read.
Fransman’s version of events, as well as affidavits of those who accompanied him on the journey, appear to give a different version of events.
The affidavits stated:
- Fransman was not alone with the woman at any time during the journey.
- The woman was relaxed during the trip.
- She was booked into a different room with a person other than Fransman in Kimberley.
Fransman said he had agreed to speak because he had “absolutely nothing to hide” and nothing to fear because he did not break the law.
- Sunday Tribune