The saga of South Africa's ambassador to Indonesia, found guilty by the department of foreign affairs of 21 cases of sexual harassment, dragged on this week, 19 months after the matter first came to light.

A departmental internal disciplinary hearing recommended in December 2001 that ambassador Norman Mashabane be sacked, but he appealed and was allowed to continue in his post pending the outcome.

In October last year, and again in March, the department said the appeal was under consideration by Dlamini-Zuma.

Asked yesterday how seriously the department took the matter, spokesperson Nomfanelo Kota said the case was under investigation.

Earlier this week, a new sex complaint was lodged against Mashabane.

"As you will be aware, appeals processes are complex and technical, these cases need to be thoroughly investigated and due processes followed," Kota said.

Dlamini-Zuma was in Bandung, Indonesia earlier this week to attend the Afro-Asia summit.

Kota said she could not say whether Zuma had raised the matter with Mashabane during her visit.

She stressed that the primary purpose of the minister's visit had been the summit.

However, Kota confirmed that officials from the department were currently in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, attending to the matter.

"According to information I received from the department, the team was not back in the country yet, and when they do return they will have to report back to the relevant authorities," she said.

Asked to comment on the perceived reluctance of the department to act speedily regarding the charges, she repeated that due process had to be followed. – Sapa.