A former manager at Media24, Gasant Samuels, ”pushed his luck” with a female colleague during uncertain times at the company, the Supreme Court of Appeal heard on Tuesday.
David Melunsky, lawyer for Sonja Grobler, told the court she had put her trust in Samuels as a protector, and he had abused this trust.
The court was hearing arguments in an appeal by Media 24 and Samuels, whom Grobler successfully sued for sexual harassment.
Grobler won her case in the Cape High Court and was awarded more than R750 000 compensation for loss of earnings and medical expenses.
Melunsky said Samuels was seen as ”part of the new order” — important, connected and upwardly mobile in the company.
Grobler thought that if she stuck with Samuels she would be secure in her job at the company, where fear of dismissal was real.
”Everybody was scared at the company due to the changing times. This shows how difficult it must have been for Sonja Grobler [with a vulnerable personality],” said Melunsky.
The court heard that Grobler’s personality was naive, childish and that she was a very trusting and friendly person who thought she had found a protector in Samuels.
Melunsky also contested Media24’s claim that Grobler suffered a ”collapse” into post-traumatic stress disorder after an isolated incident at a flat.
Earlier the court heard from Samuels’ lawyer, Andre Heunis, that the two had an affair and that there had been no sexual harassment.
Heunis told the court that Samuels ”was maybe a womaniser but not a harasser”.
He contended that Grobler’s relationship with Samuels followed an earlier affair with another manager and that her attention shifted to the ”new manager on the way up”.
The case continues. – Sapa