W Cape ANC secretary to go on trial

FRIDAY OCTOBER 28 2016 ANC WESTERN Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs’s case, in which hestands accused of assaulting a colleague, is heading for trial.

The State, which had referred the docket to the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) for a decision on whether to prosecute, announced yesterday the NDPP had indicated there was enough evidence to go to trial.

Jacobs made his fourth appearance in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The case had been postponed until November 23 to give the defence time to consult.

In November last year, Jacobs allegedly brawled with former ANC researcher Wesley Seale. A picture of Seale was posted on social media following the incident and Jacobs was then placed on precautionary suspension afterwards.

In April, the ANC lifted the sanction because Jacobs “regretted his actions and had shown remorse”.

But his return was met with opposition, public spats, factional battles and infighting which played out on social media.

In the months before the local government elections which the ANC in the Western Cape largely lost to the DA, members were reportedly at odds after a provincial working committee (PWC) meeting chaired by Jacobs.

He recommended the suspension of several West Coast members, including key party deployees to the Matzikama municipality, as well as the apparent call for the suspension of embattled ANC provincial chairman, Marius Fransman.

At the time, foul language, snide remarks, personal attacks and passionate pleas for unity dominated posts on the ANC’s provincial Facebook page.

Jacobs’s lawyer, Rafeeq Hendricks, yesterday refused to comment on the charge of common assault his client faces.