Johannesburg - ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe has been fingered as the ringleader of a “regime change agenda” as the fight between the ANC and its embattled Western Cape leader Marius Fransman continues.
Fransman was last week slapped with a five-year ban by the ANC following allegations of sexual harassment against him. He has ridiculed the disciplinary process that found him guilty, saying it was driven by a factional agenda and that he was challenging its outcome.
On Sunday, Fransman accused the ANC’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) of applying double standards, saying it had failed to sanction Mantashe when allegations of sexual harassment were reported against him last year.
At the time, Mantashe dismissed the allegations as nothing but a smear campaign.
“The disciplinary process must not have eyes. It must not be selective by having one set of rules for one individual and another for others,” Fransman told The Star on Sunday.
“Was Mantashe not supposed to appear before a disciplinary committee? He holds a high office. He pushed an agenda against me but is not prepared to face the music (himself),” lamented Fransman, who described the allegations against him as a political ploy to tarnish him.
When asked why he felt Mantashe was targeting him, Fransman said: “It is very clear that comrade Mantashe understands that I don’t support the regime-change agenda that he is pushing, which says we should create anarchy to get positions in the ANC.”
He said he had spoken out about secret plans from within the ruling party to remove President Jacob Zuma from power. The party is set to elect a new leadership in December next year.
It has fended off sustained calls for Zuma to step down because of the many scandals associated with his divisive leadership of the government and the party.
Some of Zuma’s cabinet ministers, ANC structures - including its veterans - the business sector, civil society and opposition parties have spoken out against Zuma’s leadership, calling on him to resign. Zuma has also dodged numerous votes of no confidence brought against him by the opposition in the National Assembly.
Fransman said on Sunday: “The instability we see today is what I call the enemy within the ANC that is fighting for its narrow political interests.”
He accused the party’s NDC of having been captured by a faction led by Mantashe. The NDC, said Fransman, had lied to the country when it said he had received all documentation from it to help him prepare for the hearing.
“I reject the finding of my disciplinary hearing, as the expected outcome was predetermined from the outset. I was denied access to relevant documentation, even in the face of a high court order.
“Gwede Mantashe is in contempt for ignoring a high court order to release all relevant documentation to me.
“The NDC is lying about having provided all the relevant documentation, and I demand an apology,” Fransman said in a statement.
“I reserve all my rights. We are studying the finding and will certainly appeal,” he added.
Mantashe said: “I respect the processes of the ANC. Fransman has got a right to appeal to the national disciplinary committee of appeal. Now he is using The Star as an appeal process and wants to call me as a witness, I’m sorry!”