That Marius Fransman has not yet been formally charged “suggests that he is receiving preferential treatment not accorded to ordinary citizens”‚ the Congress of the People (Cope) said. “We smell something fishy here‚” said Cope’s Dennis Bloem of the “dilatory manner in which the police appears to be handling the case of Fransman regarding his alleged sexual harassment of his personal assistant”.Bloem said that a week after a case was opened against the African National Congress’ (ANC) Western Cape chairperson‚ “no action of the law proceeding against him is visible”.“He is to all intents and purposes still a very free man‚” he said.“Others in a similar situation would have been arrested and would have been required to apply for bail.“We had warned that in many previous sexual harassment cases‚ the police have tended to protect those in prominent positions at the expense of the woman who has been sexually molested or violated. “Fransman must be treated like any other citizen. Like any other citizen we respect the fact that he has the right to proclaim his innocence until he is proven guilty.”Cope’s statement comes a day after Fransman fended off opposition calls for his suspension.Fransman’s Democratic Alliance counterpart Patricia de Lille said: “When assault allegations against (ANC provincial secretary) Faiez Jacobs came out a few weeks ago‚ after a male ANC staff member was left with a bloodied face‚ the ANC suspended him right away."Yet when the victim is a woman‚ new to the ANC staff ranks‚ we see dithering and delays in suspending the accused leader‚ Marius Fransman.”Fransman’s deputy Khaya Magaxa said the leader explained his version of events in response to a 20-year-old’s allegations that he assaulted her en route to the ANC's 104th birthday celebration in Rustenburg at the weekend.He said the matter was likely to be discussed later this week by the party's provincial executive committee...