Natasha Mazzone on Thursday insisted the DA Gauteng leader and former Tshwane mayor enjoyed the protection of the assumption of innocence until proven guilty.
FILE: Solly Msimanga. Picture: EWN
JOHANNESBURG – While interim Democratic Alliance (DA) Gauteng leader Solly Msimanga faces sexual harassment claims by a fellow member, the party’s national protection officer Natasha Mazzone on Thursday said she had not reached out to Nkele Molapo because she did not want to “prejudice the criminal complaint opened with police”.
Mazzone said Molapo never approached her office to outline the serious allegations against Msimanga.
She also insisted the Gauteng leader and former Tshwane mayor enjoyed the protection of the assumption of innocence until proven guilty.
Molapo recalled one specific day where Msimanga drover her home following a debate in Pretoria a few years ago. She claimed he blocked her from leaving his car and touched her inappropriately, while she called him off, saying no.
Molapo further claimed more women had come forward telling her how they too had gone through the same treatment.
Mazzone said Msimanga gave her evidence of why he thinks he is innocent.
“I can show you numerous Facebook posts wherein one Facebook post, in fact, she has a photo of Msimanga on her timeline where she calls him her ‘Monday man crash’ and eye candy for the day in 2016 and many other posts of the same kind,” Mazzone said.
She said there was not enough time to get Molapo’s side as she withdrew her internal complaint a few days later.
“She laid the complaint not with me on a Saturday. I have to get the complaint, look at it, [and] do an initial investigation into the complaint. If that complaint is withdrawn on a Wednesday, I don’t even have time to reach out to her yet because I’ve also got Msimanga who has reached out to me, and given me a full detailed outline of his complaint,” she said.
Msimanga opened a crimen injuria claim against Molapo and denied all the claims.
