Sexual assault case against Fransman going ahead

14 June 2016 - 18:16 By TMG Digital

The sexual assault case against ANC Western Cape leader Marius Fransman is going ahead.This was confirmed on Tuesday by Gavin Prins‚ spokesman for Louisa Wynand‚ the 21-year-old Stellnbosch woman who has accused Fransman of sexual harassment during the ANC’s celebrations on January 8.Fransman charges hoveringMarius Fransman is confident he will not be charged for sexual harassment allegedly committed in the Northern Cape. Wynand has earlier been informed by North West police in a Whatsapp message that the case would not proceed due to a lack of evidence.ANC v ANC as members accuse party boss of plot to frame FransmanDays after ANC bigwig Marius Fransman was let off the hook on allegations of sexual harassment, affidavits are claiming he is the victim of a plot.  However‚ Prins‚ who is from Red Dot PR in Cape Town‚ said on Tuesday: “We can confirm that the case in Kimberley‚ Northern Cape‚ is STILL GOING AHEAD. It is our information that the case at Sun City where our client initially laid the complaint‚ has never been closed. And even though she received a WhatsApp message from the investigating officer at Sun City saying the case has been dropped‚ new information suggests otherwise. We are still puzzled by what the true status is.”Prins added that the Kimberley police had made contact with her last week and Wynand was confident with the way that the investigation was going.“Our client is obviously relieved that the matter is going ahead‚ and out of respect for the investigation‚ she will not speak to the media anymore regarding this matter.“I can confirm that the WhatsApp messages between Louisa and Marius during the time of the incident are indeed those published by the Daily Maverick Online newspaper.“Louisa has met with Human Rights activist Rhoda Kadalie last week who has pledged her (Kadalie) full support to the investigation‚” Prins stated.The reference to the WhatsApp messages between Wynand and Fransman during the time of the incident were apparently conversations ranging from work arrangements to the flirty‚ with Fransman advising the 21-year-old to bring informal "and sensual" gear on the trip‚ according to the Daily Maverick Online.In one message‚ Fransman allegedly tells Wynand not to share the news of the new job with her boyfriend because we "don’t need jealous guys around"‚ it reported.Wynand then tells him she does not mix business with pleasure‚ to which Fransman allegedly replies: "Good... but hey there will be pleasure in business?"The messages have been forwarded to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)‚ the Daily Maverick said. Fransman was part of a Western Cape delegation attending the ANC’s January 2016 celebrations when the incident took place at a guesthouse near Sun City in the North West Province.Wynand went into hiding after she laid charges of sexual harassment against Fransman‚ her employer at the time of the incident. She has subsequently resigned and he was suspended following the investigation.Wynand said she had decided to go public with her identity so that young women and children who found themselves in the same boat as she did could see that it could happen to anyone.“Our rights need to be protected. I am blessed to have incredible men around me but there are monsters out there who is breaking down our women and children. I believe that this is my journey and if this is the Universe using me to reach out to other victims of sexual assault‚ then so it shall be‚” she said...

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