Western Cape premier Alan Winde has removed suspended community safety MEC Albert Fritz from the provincial cabinet adding that he was “not a fit and proper person to hold any position in my executive council”.
Fritz was given the chop after the finalisation of an independent investigation into the veracity of allegations of sexual misconduct. A report on the findings of the probe was handed to Winde on Sunday evening.
“This morning I informed Albert Fritz of my decision to remove him from the provincial executive cabinet, effective immediately,” Winde said in a statement on Tuesday.
“I made this decision after receiving a report from advocate Jennifer Williams following the finalisation of her independent investigation to test the veracity of several allegations that were made against him, which led to his suspension last month … I have considered the content, and a meeting with advocate Williams and our own legal team took place yesterday afternoon, where we discussed it and I sought further clarity.
“Having gone through this report carefully, it is clear to me that Mr Fritz is not a fit and proper person to hold any position in my executive council. He has therefore been removed, in line with the powers vested in me by the constitution.”
The investigation, said Winde, had found “sufficient credibility” in the allegations of sexual misconduct, alcohol abuse and the creation of an environment “conducive to sexual misconduct”.