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DA Gauteng MP Nkele Molapo said she now understood why women were afraid to speak out about harassment.
Tshwane Mayor and Da Gauteng Prime Minister Solly Msimanga announces his resignation on 18 January. Image: Kayleen Morgan / EW
JOHANNESBURG – Gauteng Democratic Alliance (DA) MP Nkele Molapo never learned on Thursday that MP Natasha Mazzone was investigating his sexual harassment allegations and said she was disappointed that no one in the party was taking him to the right office or will approach him.
Molapo filed a criminal complaint with the police against her superior, Gauteng Acting Leader Solly Msimanga, alleging he touched her inappropriately in 2014.
Msimanga has denied the allegations and has filed a counterclaim against him.
The district attorney’s protection officer, Natasha Mazzone, said Molapo withdrew the district attorney’s internal complaint and that there was no time to contact her for her version of events.
Molapo said she was extremely disappointed in the way her party had questioned her claims.
She said she now understood why women were afraid to talk about bullying.
Molapo said he filed a complaint with Federal President Helen Zille and Gauteng President Mike Moriarty two weeks ago, but withdrew it nine days later and turned to police when he realized no one was taking it seriously.
He said that at no point did he learn that Mazzone, who also has the title of “protection officer” in the party, was investigating the matter.
“The party could have escalated the matter or advised me to contact her. Natasha’s comments are disappointing, to say the least.”
Mazzone says that Msimanga had given him evidence to show that he was innocent and was willing to take a lie detection test.
Msimanga has filed a counterclaim with the police for defamation and is consulting with his lawyers after Molapo claimed that other women were also harassed by him.
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