GOOD member and Witzenberg Deputy Mayor has lodged an appeal against a verdict which found her guilty of alleged sexual misconduct.
This followed an internal party disciplinary process which probed the allegations of “sex parties” and naked parading by Felicity Klazen.
Klazen and the party's national campaign organiser and Western Cape Member of the Legislature, Shaun August, faced disciplinary hearings after allegations of ‘’sex parties’’ while they were deployed to campaign for votes prior to the municipal by-elections in April last year.
Klazen was slapped with a suspension and termination of her membership.
August is still waiting for the outcome of the disciplinary process.
Legal representative for Klazen, Martin Green, said he and his client were now following the internal appeals process.
However, he did not rule out a legal court bid should the internal process not yield positive results.
Martin said Klazen went through a “very trying and embarrassing time” due to allegations that appeared in the media, which activated a lengthy investigation into the alleged misconduct.
He denied that any ‘’sexing’’ or ‘’sex parties’’ took place at the Dennebos Holiday Resort, where the party members were booked into.
‘’Nowhere in any of the charges brought against my client, or statements submitted as evidence or other material submitted as evidence during the hearing testify of any sexing’’.
The lawyer also rejected claims that Klazen was naked in ‘’any swimming pool’’.
Green said on the contrary, Klazen submitted statements and communique from the Dennebos Holiday Resort manager, the municipal manager and other parties, denying the claims of naked parading and sex parties.
He claimed that the disciplinary process was ‘’tantamount to the operation of a kangaroo court’’, adding that the proceedings were based on ‘’hearsay and assumption’’.
‘’We believe that the disciplinary hearing was not free and fair,“ Martin said, adding that they would look into other options to ”restore our client’s dignity“.
Martin also alleged that private investigators appointed by GOOD distributed ‘’personal and confidential’’ pictures taken by her husband, thus violating Klazen’s dignity.
GOOD general secretary Brett Herron said the internal disciplinary hearing was conducted in a “fair and just” manner, chaired by an independent advocate.
“Klazen was found guilty and is appealing the outcome through the available internal appeals procedure. We do not intend to comment on the evidence and the ongoing internal process”, he said.