ANC CHIEF WHIP SUBMITS COMPLAINT REGARDIMG DA SEX PEST MP

18 June 2015

This afternoon the ANC Chief Whip in Parliament, Stone Sizani, submitted a letter to the chairperson of the Joint Committee on Ethics & Members’ Interest, requesting the committee – as the custodian of the parliamentary ethics code – to investigate if the conduct of DA sex pest MP, Archibold Figlan, who was recently found guilty of sexual harassment, is not in violation of the ethical conduct expected of all MPs.

Below is the full letter:

------

Hon. Amos Masondo

Chairperson: Joint Committee on Ethics & Members’ Interest

RE: REQUEST FOR INVESTIGATION OF DA MP FOUND GUILTY OF SEXUAL HARRASSMENT

I wish to bring it to the attention of the Joint Committee on Ethics & Members’ Interest a matter of ethical nature pertaining to the conduct of a Member of Parliament of the Democratic Alliance, Mr Archibold Figlan.

Mr Figlan was found guilty of sexual harassment after a DA staff member complained to the party’s legal commission that earlier this year he forced her to touch her private parts. Although the DA found this MP guilty of such serious sexual offence, he was only given a slap on the wrist, with a range of punitive measures suspended.

The DA’s internal disciplinary process itself concluded that Mr Figlan is guilty of a sex crime which, it goes without saying, is characteristic of sexual predators or sex pests. It thus boggles the mind why the party believes Mr Figlan should continue serving as a public representative in this Parliament.

Mr Figlan, who is the DA’s deputy spokesperson in the National Assembly, has abused the powers and seniority he holds over this vulnerable staff member by forcing her to perform a sexual act in public and against her will. It is outrageous that an ‘honourable’ Member of Parliament and one of the DA leaders in this institution believes that his position and seniority entitles him to force such sexual acts from the party staff members. Mr Figlan’s conduct was humiliating and offensive, and is not different to rape.

Sexual crimes particularly targeted at defenceless and vulnerable women in our society constitute one of the pervasive social ills plaguing this country. This parliament has passed various pieces of legislation aimed at combatting such gender violence and at ensuring justice for the victims.

The DA’s internal miscarriage of justice has let down Mr Figlan’s victim, knowing fully well that she is in no position to explore external legal recourse as doing so would mean loss of livelihood. The DA has, instead of acting in the best interest of this victim, opted to violate her further. It is disgraceful.

I therefore wish to request that the committee investigates and determine if Mr Figlan’s reprehensible conduct is not in violation of the ethical conduct expected of all MPs.

Yours Faithfully

 Hon. Stone Sizani (MP)

Chief Whip of the Majority Party

Issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, June 18 2015