Fritz will not get full report on sexual abuse allegations

AXED MEC of community safety Albert Fritz will not have access to the 81-page report that found “sufficient credibility” to the allegations against him.

Fritz was fired by Premier Alan Winde on Monday following the completion of the investigation against him. He later resigned from the provincial legislature and as a DA member.

Fritz told the Weekend Argus yesterday that he had not received the full report.

“We are taking the report on review to the High Court and we will then speak to the media,” he said.

Fritz did not respond to questions regarding whether he was going to court to challenge the findings of the report or to get full access to the report.

Leader of the official opposition in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature Cameron Dugmore said the report could be made public, with the names of the complainants removed or hidden.

“He (Winde) has not promised to do that. We are insisting on names removed. Taxpayers’ money was spent. One can protect the identity of victims by removing names from the report,” said Dugmore.

Odette Cason, from the Office of the Premier, said Winde was not able to make the report available.

“This follows an agreement with the complainants to this effect. The report contains very detailed accounts of the allegations, which would enable the complainants to be identified.

“To prevent secondary victimisation, and to not disempower the complainants, the premier will respect this agreement,” he said.

Also, there had been no criminal case opened against Fritz as of yesterday.

“The SAPS in the Western Cape has no record of criminal cases that were opened by the affected parties in relation to the Albert Fritz matter,” said police spokesperson Brigadier Novela Potelwa.

The premier has encouraged the complainants to lay criminal charges, when they are ready to do so.

“The complainants have also been referred to a relevant NGO for support, including support in laying charges if they so decide,” said Cason.

“As the SAPS has made clear, the complainant is required to lay the charges, and their agency to do so should be respected so as to not disempower them.”

On Wednesday, Winde confirmed he had been alerted by Mayco member JP Smith about the allegations against Fritz. Four officials in the department are still under investigation.

ALBERT Fritz