Marius quits to ‘focus on poor’
Fransman says he has left legislature because ANC turmoil makes it difficult to deliver as an MPL
EMBATTLED Wester n Cape ANC leader Marius Fransman insists his resignation from the legislature is due to chaos in the party, not the millions of rands in public money for which he has been asked to account.
He resigned yesterday, the day after the Western Cape High Court dismissed his application relating to the spending of nearly R330 million on consultancy projects while he was MEC for transport and public works.
The provincial standing committee on public accounts (Scopa) has called him to account for this.
DA chief whip Mark Wiley said Fransman’s resignation came as no surprise.
Fransman’s court application had been an attempt to avoid appearing before Scopa to explain “massive irregularities and gross mismanagement of public funds under the previous ANC administration”.
He would still have to answer to Scopa, Wiley said.
Fransman denied this matter had anything to do with his leaving the legislature after 17 years.
“My decision, in 2013, to return to the Western Cape to fight alongside the poor and the downtrodden, and to address the imbalances between the haves and the have-nots in creating an inclusive society, is being curtailed by the ANC internal turmoil, infighting and factions.
“(This) makes it near-impossible to execute my duties to ensure the upliftment of my constituents,” he said.
“I can no longer justify a salary without the mechanism to deliver on my calling… When we have internal strife, it’s the people who suffer.”
In January, Fransman was asked to step aside as provincial ANC chairman pending an investigation after his one-time personal assistant, Louisa Wynand, accused him of sexual harassment.
A daily publication has reported that Fransman is to appear before the ANC’s national disciplinary committee with regard to this allegation, tomorrow and on Monday.
Fransman denied this yesterday.
National ANC spokesman Zizi Kodwa did not respond to requests for comment by the time of publication.
Provincial ANC chief whip Pierre Uys said Fransman had last taken his seat in the legislature in December. The ANC had 14 of the 142 seats in the legislature, he said. The provincial ANC would decide who would fill Fransman’s seat.
Fransman was MEC for transport and public works from 2005 to 2008, while Uys was the health MEC.
In his court application, Fransman asked that the Speaker and Scopa chairman give him a list of questions he was expected to deal with before the committee. He also wanted “full access” to all documents, and a chance to consult officials.
The application was dismissed with costs.