ANC slams Fransman, confirms he is out

DISGRACED former deputy minister and ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman is finally out of office.

This despite his claims of having been cleared by the ANC on sexual misconduct charges and bringing the organisation into disrepute.

The ANC’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) yesterday lashed out at Fransman, saying it was disappointed he had misled the public by claiming he had been cleared.

The ANC yesterday confirmed its previous decision that Fransman was guilty on two counts of misconduct and his membership of the ANC would be suspended for five years.

Fransman had claimed the charges against him were trumped up by ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe because he, Fransman, supported President Jacob Zuma’s faction and further supported Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma’s bid for the presidency.

Fransman lambasted the NDC two weeks ago, saying it was “biased and cannot be trusted”. He said he was resum ing his responsibilities as the party’s leader in the province after the ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeals (NDCA) referred his case back to the NDC.

The NDC last year found Fransman guilty on two counts of misconduct – for abusing his office for the purpose of attempting to obtain sexual favours from Louisa Wynand, and another for making public statements that brought the ANC into disrepute.

It was reported that Wynand was allegedly “forced” to sleep next to Fransman at a Kimberley hotel when they stopped over on the way to Rustenberg in North West Province to celebrate the ANC’s 104th birthday in January last year.

Fransman also allegedly inappropriately touched her while they were on the back seat of their vehicle, while a passenger and the driver were in the front.

In an NDC statement yesterday, acting chairperson Susan Shabangu, who is also Minister of Women in the Presidency, was quoted as saying Fransman had denied himself a second opportunity to present his case and prove his innocence after he failed to attend the NDC hearing yesterday.

The statement also said: “The NDC has further expressed its disappointment that Comrade Marius, as a senior leader, misled the public a few weeks ago that he was cleared by the ANC National Disciplinary Committee of Appeals, whereas in truth the Appeal Committee made the point in its finding that the referral back to the NDC was being done on a point of procedure to protect the integrity of the ANC, not because of any procedural irregularity committed by the NDC or on a point of law raised by the charged member.”

In his appeal for a review of the decision, Fransman had charged that the NDC had not considered the technical point on procedure.

Two weeks ago he claimed the NDCA did not have the conviction or political maturity to tell the NDC it was irregular in its decision, and that there was no case against him.

But the NDC yesterday said: “In all the circumstances, the NDC was satisfied that Comrade Fransman was afforded a further opportunity of procedural fairness. He elected not to utilise it by not attending the scheduled hearing to present his evidence and that of his witness.”

Fransman last night insisted there were paid “political machineries” that had infiltrated the ANC and would stop at nothing to destroy the organisation.

“It’s very clear that there are those who continue to see me as a threat to their regime change agenda in the ANC. I can accept that. That is a faction within the ANC which comrade Derek Hanekom is linked to,” he said.

“They are trying to get rid of everyone that does not support their aggression against the president. I have noted the suspension, but you must remember that I have always maintained that a lie was used against me.

“I have decided to petition the ANC’s National Executive Committee on the constitutional prescripts and on time frames and other regulatory matters.”

Wynand declined to comment last night.