THE sexual harassment case against former ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman has not officially been closed yet, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said yesterday.
The matter was currently with the Northern Cape's Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), who was still deciding whether to prosecute or not, NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku said.
He said the case had been transferred to the Northern Cape from the North West, where 21-year-old Louisa Wynand laid the charges.
She had accused Fransman of sexual harassment while they travelled to the North West in January for the African National Congress's birthday rally in Rustenburg. He denied the claim.
She had just started working for Fransman as an events and public relations manager at his hospitality business, she said.
Wynand said Fransman forced her to share a bed with him at the Flamingo Hotel in Kimberley, rubbed himself against her and touched her breasts.
Last week, Wynand said she had been informed via a WhatsApp message from a police colonel that the DPP in North West had decided not to proceed with the case due to insufficient evidence.
Wynand said she was initially "out of her mind" with fear, then she was confused about the decision.
ANC integrity unit investigating
Mfaku said the North West DPP had "consulted extensively" with Wynand and found that the State had no prima facie case to secure a conviction.
The case was then transferred to the DPP in the Northern Cape, who received the docket on 27 May.
In the meantime, the ANC's integrity unit was still looking into the matter, the party's provincial spokesperson Yonela Diko said on Wednesday. This meant the decision that Fransman should step aside still stood.
In another development, ANC member and Titana branch chairperson Sandile Booysen claimed it was all a set up, and that Boland regional secretary Jonton Snyman was behind it.
News24 reported previously that Booysen made this claim in an affidavit. Wynand dismissed this allegation.
News24 tried to call Snyman for comment, but was directed to his voicemail. However, in a response to an SMSed question, he told News24 “No comment”, then subsequently said "I don't know the woman and we've never met".
Attempts to get comment from Fransman were unsuccessful.
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/fransman-sexual-assault-case-not-closed-yet-20160603
