Fransman to ANC: My political career is not over

Suspended ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman accused secretary-general Gwede Mantashe of having a factional hand in his downfall. File picture: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media

Suspended ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman accused secretary-general Gwede Mantashe of having a factional hand in his downfall. File picture: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media

Published Nov 13, 2016

Share

Cape Town - Western Cape ANC leader Marius Fransman, suspended for five years by the party for abusing his office and for bringing the party into disrepute, has cautioned provincial and national leaders against writing his epitaph.

On Saturday he described the finding of the National Disciplinary Committee as “ disgraceful and unjust”, saying it was as if “I have no rights under the ANC constitution”.

Fransman said this after the Western Cape ANC leadership publicly accepted the finding and thanked him “for 20 years of unbroken service” and for his work among “the Khoisan and the Klopse”.

A statement released by the committee found: “Comrade Marius Fransman, guilty on two counts of misconduct - abusing his office for the purpose of attempting to obtain a sexual favour from Louisa Wynand and for making public statements which brought the ANC into disrepute.”

Fransman said he was already busy with a process to challenge “a very flawed process”.

“They will apologise for their injustice and for the disrespectful manner in which they have treated me. I am appealing the decision and engaged in other processes to clear my name, which they set out to destroy,” he said.

Wynand congratulated the committee on “conducting a very professional process” and also stated that she was “relieved that the ordeal I endured is over”.

But not everyone is happy with the outcome. Donovan Cloete and Moegamat Majied, who travelled to Rustenberg in the same vehicle with Fransman and Wynand, want their names cleared.

Majied, a businessman and senior leader within the Western Cape ANC, said his reputation had been tarnished. “There is something really sinister; the disciplinary committee did not call me or ask me for my view of what happened.”

Cloete, who is a leader of the party in the Northern Cape, said: “The NDC is afraid of hearing the truth. I can expose this lie, but the NDC refused to call me.”

Weekend Argus

Related Topics: