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A member of the mayoral committee (MMC) of Madibeng Local Municipality has accused the police of dragging their feet in investigating a sexual assault case she opened against her boss and executive mayor, Douglas Maimane.
The MMC, who cannot be named for legal reasons, opened a case of sexual assault against the mayor at the Hartbeespoort Police Station on October 22. She accused him of allegedly touching her inappropriately and asking her to help him "relieve" himself.
The MMC told City Press that she feared that her case would not progress as she had been receiving calls from police officers who were not investigating her case.
The MMC said the first time the mayor made sexual advances on her was three years ago when they were travelling together for work in Potchefstroom. She did not open cases of sexual assault previously because she reported the matter to the ANC’s internal structures.
READ: ‘He touched my bum and ran his hand down [my body]’: Madibeng mayor accused of sexual harassment
After her complaint, her matter was taken up by the ANC in North West and she opened the case. She said that she was worried that her case might not be taken far. “I need help because I opened a case three weeks ago and I received a case number. They told me that the matter would be handed in to court for a decision to prosecute further, but there has not been a single update since then,” she said.
Police in North West are yet to comment on the matter.
The MMC previously told City Press that the executive mayor had made advances on her for the first time during a work trip.
She said she did not report the matter to high officials until it happened again in November 2021, when Maimane was promoted to mayor.
“We had a golf event in Hartbeespoort to raise funds. He wanted me to be a programme director on the day and I had said that I didn’t have petrol money. He said he would give me money and he directed me where to go and when I got there it was a bedroom. I said I was there for the petrol money and then he stood up and said I had been denying him sex and he was aroused and started touching me. He touched my bum and ran his hand down and asked if I was wearing a pad. I told him to stop it,” she said.
READ: North West ANC risks being held in contempt of court
The MMC wrote a letter to the women’s league in the province and ANC treasurer-general Paul Mashatile, asking for intervention after Maimane allegedly made her working environment unbearable after she allegedly refused to sleep with him.
In the letter, which City Press has seen, the MMC said the mayor was recorded on two incidents talking ill about her to their colleagues.
Maimane declined to comment on the matter, stating that the case was currently a legal issue and was being handled by his lawyers.
