The CEO of SANParks Fundisile Mketeni appeared in court on Tuesday after a charge of assault and sexual assault was laid against him last week.
According to a statement issued by SANParks on Tuesday, the 53-year-old Mketeni will take special leave from all his work engagements.
He appeared in court alongside two other suspects who work for SANParks as well as a female who is not an employee.
SANParks Board Chairperson, Ms Joanne Yawitch said in line with SANParks’ commitment to ethical conduct and the seriousness of the allegations, Mr Mketeni has requested to take special leave until such time that the matter has been resolved and the law has taken its course.
She says the Board views the allegations in a serious light and will also conduct its own investigation into the circumstances surrounding the allegations to determine if there was any illegal conduct that might affect the employment of the three staff members.
Dr Luthando Dziba who is the Managing Executive of Conservation Services has been appointed as Acting CEO.
Mketeni and his co-accused, 39-year-old Danny Sibusiso Thwala and Thanduxolo Joel Ofeke were granted bail of R2 000 and will be back in court on the 2nd of June.
It is alleged that the accused and complainant were at the Skukuza rest camp in Bushbuckridge on the 6th of May when the alleged assault took place.
It is further alleged that Mketeni forcefully tried to kiss the complainant and grabbed her by the waist.
According to the charge sheet, Mketeni then grabbed the complainant by the hair, hitting her head against the wall before kicking her.
Mketeni is facing a charge of both sexual assault and assault while his co-accused were charged with assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm.