Western Cape African National Congress (ANC) chairman Marius Fransman‚ asked to step aside from politics after a sexual harassment scandal‚ has resumed his role of provincial party leader with immediate effect.

Water Affairs and Sanitation Minister Nomvula Mokonyane said on Thursday: “He is back in the ANC as a chair. The issues have been resolved.”

Fransman took many observers by surprise when he made an unexpected appearance in Philippi‚ on the Cape Flats‚ with other ANC leaders to welcome President Jacob Zuma who arrived in the area to drum up support for the party ahead of the local government elections.

Also read: Fransman bounces back‚ shakes Zuma's hand on election campaign trail

Fransman smiled warmly as he greeted Zuma and shook the president’s hand.

It is the first time that he has taken part in a high-profile ANC event since being asked to “step aside” earlier this year for allegedly sexually harassing his private assistant‚ Louisa Wynand‚ when she accompanied him to the party’s birthday celebrations in Rustenburg.

Police are still investigating a charge of sexual harassment opened by Wynand and the ANC also conducted an internal investigation into the incident.

City Press published a “leaked” version of the internal investigation report which stated that he should immediately relinquish all politically elected positions he held in the ANC. But the contents of the report were disputed by the ANC.

Since then‚ several inappropriate WhatsApp messages he sent to the young woman have surfaced.

But this did nothing to dampen his enthusiasm when he publicly welcomed Zuma to Cape Town on Thursday with a hearty hand shake and a smile. Fransman wore an ANC t-shirt featuring a photograph of Zuma with the words‚ “Vote ANC“.

Mokonyane said that Fransman would resume his full duties as of Thursday. She did not‚ she said‚ have details about the ANC integrity commission report.

Fransman told TMG Digital‚ “I am here to support (Xolani) Sotashe as the mayoral candidate.”

– TMG Digital/The Times