Civic group turned political party Rise Mzansi has launched disciplinary action against a staff member accused of sexual harassment.

Rise SA spokesperson Mabine Seabe said the allegations were the subject of an ongoing disciplinary inquiry, convened by an independent chairperson. It will be wrapped up as soon as possible, Seabe said.

Sowetan reported on Monday that chief provincial organiser in the Eastern Cape, Vuyani Langa, was suspended after the party's "people's convention" in Johannesburg in October. 

Allegations against Langa include making sexual advances toward a party member during a flight from East London to attend a party event, and promising a woman a job as a field worker.  

Seabe said:

As the Sowetan report clearly illustrates, we take sexual harassment and related conduct seriously. Since this matter was brought to the organisation's attention, we have acted swiftly, decisively, and with care for all.

Attempts to reach Langa were unsuccessful, but he told Sowetan the allegations were not true.

"I am totally lost because this thing never happened. It is a smear campaign because there is someone who has a vested interest. The person who laid the charge is the husband to this woman, who was not even there during the flight. He is a person who has the ambitions of going to Parliament and I don't have any ambitions like that. So, he says I can be a threat to him," he said.