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Luthuli House has intervened in the Western Cape and will ask the party’s provincial chairperson Marius Fransman and secretary Faiez Jacobs to step down pending police investigations into their conduct.
ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe is expected to brief the Western Cape provincial executive committee on Monday on problems in its leadership structure ahead of a crucial local government election.
The SA Police Service is investigating a complaint against Fransman into alleged sexual assault with a 20-year-old woman en route to the ANC’s 104th birthday celebrations in Rustenburg. He denied the allegation.
Meanwhile, the ANC’s provincial secretary, Faiez Jacobs, is facing an assault case opened against him by a party researcher Wesley Seale.
The storm that erupted over Fransman and Jacobs has stirred up internal factional squabbles that the provincial leadership, by its own admission, can ill afford.
Western Cape deputy chair, Khaya Magaxa, confirmed the ANC’s national working committee asked the provincial executive committee (PEC) to request Fransman and Jacobs “to stand aside” pending investigations.
Magaxa said the PEC had not yet made any decision and will wait on Mantashe to formally inform then and to clarify issues on Monday.
“Until then we cannot say what will happen.”
Fransman did not want to comment on record but on his Facebook page he wrote that “it is time for that holiday”.
Well wishes for better health flooded his page after he wrote: “Heavy flu after the last few weeks of extreme and sustained attacks. Time for that holiday!!!”
At the time of publication, Mantashe and ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa did not respond to calls for comment.
The ANC’s national disciplinary committee earlier this week announced its decision to set aside the Western Cape PEC’s temporary suspension of Jacobs, who was placed on precautionary leave. Jacobs has since returned to work.
Earlier the ANC in the province had to cancel its provincial January 8th celebrations in Grabouw where deputy president Cyril Ramaphosa was due to share a mic with Fransman. The party said they had to postpone the rally due to logistical issues.
