CAPE TOWN - Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo says the whistle-blowers who exposed allegations of sexual assault against suspended Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz need to be protected.
Mbombo was speaking to the media outside the Mfuleni Community Hall where anti-gender-based violence (GBV) organisation Khuseleka handed out school shoes to learners from various schools, including Manzomthombo High School and Itsitsa Primary School.
“The whistle-blowers who exposed this need to be protected and shouldn’t feel uncomfortable (about) reporting. They must feel free to report. Also, what is portrayed in the media is that there is someone who came out on behalf of the victims.
“There are two things here. As the employer, there are processes you have to follow regarding the disciplinary and investigations. In parallel, you always encourage the victim or the complainant to follow due course in terms of reporting,” said Mbombo.
The MEC said she heard about the matter in newspapers while she was away in George.
“If you look at the premier’s first statement, there was no indication about what happened, and when the matter was in print papers that is when I fully understood it and by that time I was in George.
“When I came back I called (Fritz) and told him that we need to have a conversation, and it seems among my colleagues that I spoke with, including the MEC of Social Development who deals with GBV, did not know about this,” said Mbombo.
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