Mon séjour en Afrique du Sud (Cape Town)

The defence force was silent on Thursday on a possible investigation into the promotion of a top general who stands accused of sexual harassment.

Defence spokesman Sam Mkhwanazi would not comment on the possibility of an investigation into allegations that SANDF inspector-general Major General Mxolisi Petane had been promoted in contravention of military policy.

He described reports on the investigation as inaccurate because the media did not contact Deputy Defence Minister Mluleki George who is reportedly heading the investigation.

The Cape Argus reported on Thursday that George would investigate the circumstances in which Petane was promoted while his case was pending in a military court.

Petane who on Tuesday appeared in a military court in Thaba Tshwane outside Pretoria is accused of sexual harassment.

Beeld reported on Wednesday that Petane allegedly grabbed the breasts of the then deputy minister of defence Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge's unnamed assistant while they were on an official trip to Sweden. He apparently also pressed himself up against her.

The paper said that his case might be dropped because the prosecution is struggling to find two of his peers in the military to act as assessors in the case. The case against him has been dragging on in the military court for three years.

"It is the state's duty to find the assessors, we cannot keep the man hostage," the military judge colonel Brian Plaatjies said. He granted a final postponement of Petane's case to give the state more time to come up with assessors.

Madlala-Routledge told the Cape Argus that Petane had been promoted in contravention of military policy.

She believes Petane's promotion, from Brigadier-Gneral to Major General, had weakened the prosecution's case because it was now more difficult to find two assessors of the same rank, culture and military background.