Don't trust ANC integrity committee, Fransman tells Zuma
10 April 2017
Cape Town - Suspended ANC Western Cape chairperson Marius Fransman says President Jacob Zuma can learn from his disciplinary case, in that the party's integrity committee cannot be trusted.
"My advice to the president: learn from what they've done to Marius Fransman," he said at the party's provincial offices on Monday.
"They want to get rid of you? They send you to the integrity committee. It should not be trusted."
He said this after the ANC in the Western Cape on Sunday supported the call for Zuma to be taken to the ANC's integrity committee, over his Cabinet reshuffle.
Fransman held his first press briefing in the party's provincial offices on Monday since his suspension.
He claimed his suspension was now lifted after the party's national disciplinary committee made another ruling on his case, as ordered by the party's appeals committee.
The NDC's appeals committee on Friday said the party must take another look at the procedural problems raised by Fransman in his appeal, but would only rule on his suspension then.
Fransman on Monday accused the appeals committee of being soft, and of not having "the political ability" to overturn his suspension.
The integrity committee was thus being used factionally, and it no longer had "integrity", he claimed.
'Zuma not the target'
Fransman accused the current leadership of the Western Cape ANC, along with provincial member and former tourism minister Derek Hanekom, of trying to undermine his position in the party.
He also cited the nationwide marches on Friday as evidence that what was happening to him, and at a national level to the president, was all part of a larger conspiracy designed at "regime change".
"The target is not Jacob Zuma. The target is the African National Congress, and to implode the ANC as a black ruling government.
"The president must stay until 2019. We are a constitutional democracy."
He also said the Guptas were being used as a "red herring" to distract the media, and that monopoly capital is the real enemy.
There was confusion in the ANC's provincial offices earlier on Monday, as ANC staff were unaware that Fransman would be conducting a press conference from the offices.
Staff seemed to think Fransman was still suspended until the party's NDC makes another ruling on his case.
The press briefing was postponed by two hours as a result.
'Protect the image of the ANC'
Acting provincial chairperson Khaya Magaxa told News24 he was not sure of the implications of the NDCA's ruling in Fransman's case.
The issue was taken out of the province's hands and escalated to national, so they were waiting for instructions from the top.
Acting ANC national spokesperson Khusela Sangoni told News24 that the party stood by its original statement, that Fransman's case was referred back so he could mend "the image of the ANC", which was hurt by the case.
The committee noted that Fransman had refused to attend his disciplinary hearing, which detracted from his duty to fix the negative perceptions created of the party.
Fransman had also insisted that evidence of two of his witnesses was not considered, the NDCA document reads.
This would allow Fransman to submit evidence for his claim that the NDC was biased against him, and that the witnesses could bring their evidence to back up why his first misconduct charge should be reviewed and set aside.
The NDC must convene the hearing in 21 days. Fransman, his representative and witnesses must make themselves available for the hearing.
