Fransman skips his disciplinary hearing

Cape Town - Western Cape African National Congress leader Marius Fransman refused to attend his own disciplinary hearing on Thursday, citing procedural irregularities.

''My disciplinary hearing commenced this morning, without me,'' Fransman said in a statement.

Instead, his lawyer went to complain about alleged procedural violations that Fransman believes are designed to get rid of him.

His main complaint about the hearing was that he had not received the minutes and resolutions of the National Working Committee regarding his matter, even though he asked for it.

Fransman said he also asked ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe for these documents, but to no avail.

This was a deliberate move to oust him, he claimed, and was linked to ''2017 regime-change objectives".

Media exposure

''I am clearly to be removed as chair, by any means, foul or fair, and the disciplinary hearing is but a step in this nefarious means to an end," Fransman said.

His disciplinary hearing, set to start on Thursday and wrap up by Sunday, follows allegations by his former assistant Louisa Wynand who alleged he sexually harassed her while they were on their way to the ANC's birthday celebrations in Rustenburg in January.

Fransman has denied the allegations.

The party wanted to subject him to an internal disciplinary hearing for bringing it into disrepute, and for speaking to the media about how he had been treated.

In August, fingers were also pointed at Fransman over the ANC's relatively poor showing in the Local Government Elections in the province.

He kept a low profile on the campaign trail, but reiterated that he was still the provincial leader in the face of reports that he had been suspended.

Earlier this year Wynand, 21, accused Fransman, who had hired her as his assistant, of sexual harassment following their January 5 overnight stay at the Flamingo Hotel in Kimberley.

He allegedly touched her while she was forced to share a bed with him, according to a previous report by City Press.

On Thursday Fransman said: ''I am compelled to refer once more to factionalism: It is my contention that everything I have been subjected to, from the moment I was falsely accused up until now, points clearly and unequivocally to factionalism.''

ANC Western Cape spokesperson Yonelo Diko confirmed that the hearing was set for Thursday and Friday.

He referred further questions to national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa, from whom comment was not immediately available.

This article first appeared on News24.