'Hysterical phone call to MEC'

FORMER police clerk Belinda Petersen made an "hysterical" phone call after reading a news report on an alleged sexual encounter between her and former provincial MEC for Community Safety, Lennit Max, the Malmesbury Regional Court heard yesterday.

Patricia Lloyd, Max's appointment secretary at the time, testified in the Malmesbury magistrate's court that the call was made to her at the offices of the Western Cape provincial police ministry.

Petersen is on trial before magistrate Michelle Adams on a charge of attempting to intimidate Max.

He is also a qualified advocate and at one stage represented Petersen at a police internal inquiry. Petersen had by then been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty and was unable to pay Max's legal fees.

She alleges Max was willing to represent her in return for sexual favours. Lloyd said she received a call from Petersen in February 2010. She said Petersen had seen a front page report in Die Son, alleging sexual goings-on between her and Max. Lloyd told the court: "Petersen was abrupt and irritated and said the news report explained why Max was unable to get her a job in his own office - because he was screwing me."

Petersen said she now understood why Max did not want her to replace his media liaison official who had been fired.

"She was hysterical and very angry. She said I had to tell Max that the bitch had called and that she had Max's phone number," Lloyd said.