Cape Town - Sexual harassment allegations against ANC Western Cape chairman Marius Fransman are undermining popular confidence in the party and Fransman should step down until they have been investigated, say members of the party’s provincial executive committee (PEC).
Some PEC members approached by Weekend Argus on Saturday – none of whom was willing to be named – also rejected Fransman’s claim he had been set up by people in the ANC who wanted to oust him.
Earlier this month, a 20-year-old woman laid a complaint with Rustenburg police, claiming that Fransman had sexually harassed her. The accuser had travelled with Fransman and others to Rustenburg in North West for the ANC’s 104th birthday celebrations.
Fransman has denied the allegations.
The provincial ANC’s top five leaders last weekend claimed Fransman had support and would remain chairman. But PEC members who spoke to Weekend Argus said most members of the committee wanted him to be suspended. “We had a meeting and 22 out of 29 people who spoke (at the meeting) were unanimous that the chairperson should temporarily take some leave until the matter is resolved,” said a PEC member.
“I (am one of those) who want him to step down temporarily. I argued in the meeting that he should step down. From an organisational perspective, the ANC’s integrity commission is quite clear; you should step down because of the perception it creates in the public. Step down temporarily so that we can at least restore confidence that people have lost in the ANC.
“If that had to happen to me, even if I was not guilty, I would step down temporarily.
“He is a leader of society and there are women out there who feel deeply offended about these allegations.
“He doesn’t have to leave the organisation, but he should step down until the investigation is over.”
The PEC member said Fransman had been “very defensive” about the allegations. “He didn’t even want to get into the discussion. He found it irritating.
“In terms of that (sexual harassment) allegation, the matter hasn’t even appeared in court. But there’s a view that... it compromises the leader.”
Fransman has said the allegations were part of a set-up against him.
Some PEC members disputed this. “I don’t think this was a set-up. The type of people who are opposing him don’t have the ability to set this up,” said one.
“We are not saying he did anything, but I don’t buy the set-up story.”
Another PEC member said: “This (could) never be a set-up”, adding: “PEC members dismiss that this is a set-up.”
This PEC member confirmed the majority of the executive committee “wanted him suspended temporarily until the investigation was completed”.
“Everyone said... he should step down,” said the member.
The matter also had consequences for the unity of the provincial ANC leadership, the member said.
“The PEC is relatively united about what needs to be done, but the case against the chairperson is dividing us.
“Just leave our names out of it. Marius is on a witch-hunt. He is derailing us. If a name were mentioned he would go for that person and get us out of the provincial executive committee.”
Another PEC member, who claimed to be vocal in meetings calling for Fransman to step down, said the idea of factionalism was also being used to make it appear party rivals were trying to set Fransman up.
A PEC member who endorsed the call for the chairman to step down, said the “factionalism” claim was being misused.
Weekend Argus