The Democratic Alliance on Thursday kept up the pressure around the saga of South Africa’s ”sex pest” envoy to Indonesia.
In a statement DA MP Sandra Botha said she had written to the chairperson of the foreign affairs portfolio committee, Dr Pallo Jordan, requesting that the director general appear before the body to explain the situation.
Ambassador Norman Mashabane was found guilty at an internal disciplinary hearing on 21 workplace sexual harassment charges.
The hearing recommended his dismissal in December 2001, but Mashabane appealed and was allowed to continue in his post pending the outcome.
A new sex complaint was lodged against Mashabane in July.
”The inability or unwillingness of the department to resolve this case speedily shows a callous disregard by the South African government of the nature of gender disputes,” Botha said.
In her letter to Jordan, Botha said: ”The DA urges that the director general be given the opportunity to explain the department’s actions or lack thereof on this matter at a portfolio committee meeting, to be convened at your earliest convenience.”
Earlier this week the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was holding a disciplinary hearing into renewed allegations of sexual misconduct against the ambassador.
Foreign Affairs spokesperson Ronnie Mamoepa said all the allegations against the ambassador were receiving the urgent attention of Minister of Foreign Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
”The minister is awaiting certain information that may have a bearing on the outcome of the appeal. In respect of the second allegation, the matter has been referred to a disciplinary hearing, which is currently on. Accordingly, we have to follow due process and will await the outcome of that process,” Mamoepa said. — Sapa