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Marius Fransman's ode to Andile Lungisa

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Former ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman. (Paul Herman, News24)
Former ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman. (Paul Herman, News24)

Cape Town - Suspended Western Cape African National Congress chairperson Marius Fransman has thrown his weight behind recently-elected Nelson Mandela Bay ANC chairperson Andile Lungisa, who the ANC top six has called on to resign.

The party's leadership has said it goes against the party's constitution for Lungisa, a member of the provincial executive committee, to take a leadership role in a regional structure.

The controversial Lungisa has been chairperson for just more than a week, and has been given until Thursday to resign.

On Thursday, Fransman - who was suspended by the party following allegations of sexual harassment - bemoaned the "abuse of the ANC constitution".

He urged the party not to break Lungisa's spirit. Fransman sent a message to Lungisa on his Facebook page, as well as in a statement to the media.

"Today my status [goes] to a young, highly intelligent, very pragmatic, very grounded, analytical and visionary young man that held very senior positions at a young age, including deputy president of YL, president of Pan African Youth, and now chairperson of a region, comrade Andile Lungisa," Fransman's praises began.

As a young leader in the ANC, Fransman continued, he had been given space to develop, something that Lungisa was now being denied.

Mantashe 'brutal'

"I note with sadness the last two weeks how this young man, Andile Lungisa's character and his very being is being threatened by [the] office of the [secretary general], an office that is supposed to constantly guide, and must constantly direct with the sensitivity of a true leader," he said.

Fransman, who is fighting his suspension from the party, used the opportunity to again hit out at party general secretary Gwede Mantashe, who he has previously accused of being part of a group that masterminded his downfall.

"I will never believe that the constitution must be used as a draconian tool to get rid of people for political expediency.

"Let me say that what is sad is that the SG is using the constitution in the most brutal way - please remember after you done that Andile Lungisa is a human being, a comrade loved by many, a comrade voted a short while ago as the most popular leader in that region - please do not break this young comrade's spirit," he said.

Fransman said he was sad, as it was not just Lungisa's spirit being killed, but many others were affected too.

He called on Lungisa not to despair and not to blame the organisation for what he was facing.

He offered Lungisa an apology "as a cadre and as a leader" for what he said was a humiliating experience.

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