ANC Western Cape secretary Faiez Jacobs is on "precautionary leave" for allegedly assaulting a staff member.
|||Cape Town – Provincial secretary of the African National Congress in the Western Cape, Faiez Jacobs, is on "precautionary leave" for an alleged incident of assault against a staff member at its Cape Town headquarters, the party said on Tuesday.
“The ANC in the Western Cape acknowledges that there was an incident at our offices on Monday which involved the provincial secretary and a staff researcher,” said provincial chairperson Marius Fransman in a statement.
“ANC officials met this morning to discuss the incident and without discussing its merits, have decided to refer the matter to its internal disciplinary process with the aim of speedily resolving the matter,” he said.
The ANC said Jacobs had been placed on precautionary leave pending the outcome of the disciplinary proceedings.
The incident which allegedly took place on Monday at the party’s offices in the Cape Town CBD, involved Jacobs and staff researcher Wesley Seale.
According to a post on Facebook by Anda Qhama Bici which had been shared almost 300 times, Jacobs had requested Seale write up an organisational report. When Seale declined, Jacobs allegedly beat him.
A decent, hard working ANC researcher of the ANC Western Cape Province, Cde Wesley Seale, was assaulted by Western Cape...
Posted by Anda Qhama Bici on Monday, November 30, 2015
Accompanying Bici’s post, which was liked by the Economic Freedom Fighters’ Nazier Paulsen and Floyd Shivambu, was a photo of Seale, bleeding from the left side of his head.
Western Cape ANC spokesperson Jabu Mfusi said Seale had on Monday visited the police to open a case but, said Mfusi, had not yet received a case number.
Mfusi added that after visiting the police, Seale went to hospital to have his wounds stitched.
Jacobs was elected into office in June after running against his predecessor Songezo Mjongile. Since taking up the post, Jacobs has often vowed to bring about change within the party and is frequently quoted admitting the party faces challenges on a provincial level.
While Jacobs’ disciplinary process is underway, his deputy Thandi Manikivana will act as provincial secretary until the matter has been resolved. Seale would remain on leave for two weeks.
African News Agency (ANA)
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