Graphic: John McCann
A senior manager at KwaZulu-Natal’s eThekwini municipality has kept his job despite allegations against him of sexually harassing one of his junior staff members.
The alleged victim has had to be hospitalised and receive trauma counselling several times following the ordeal, internal sources told the Mail & Guardian. At some stage she wanted to commit suicide as she believed the metro was sweeping the matter under the carpet. The alleged perpetrator is attached to eThekwini’s Accounts Payable department.
The aggrieved employee subsequently wrote to the City Integrity and Investigations Unit for intervention. The unit is mandated with investigating cases of misconduct including fraud, corruption and maladministration.
“The matter dates back to 2022. The manager started showing interest in me and I explained to him that I was here to work and did not want to entertain such feelings. At some point, he showed me a pack of condoms and asked when were we going to use them,” reads the affidavit the woman deposed to the City Integrity and Investigations Unit.
She said despite her rejecting the sexual advances, the senior manager persisted, and would send her text messages inviting her to go with him on escapades.
“As a married woman, I was very uncomfortable and deemed the requests as inappropriate and amounted to sexual harassment. He invited me to sit with him in his office. I was terrified and feared losing my job. He went as far as telling me that he booked uMhlanga Sands (a resort) for us to meet there on Saturday,” the affidavit said.
When she refused these advances, the senior manager would victimise her, the woman alleged, adding that she was too terrified to take any action at the time beyond appraising her immediate supervisor of the issue.
“I brought the matter to the [attention of] the senior accountant at that time seeking her help and she said unfortunately she cannot do anything. She argued that she too has been a subject of victimisation,” the woman wrote in the affidavit.
The M&G has also seen several WhatsApp messages in which the implicated senior manager apparently asked for sexual favours from the woman.
The South African Municipal Workers Union confirmed it was aware of the case.
“I can confirm that this matter was brought to my attention in my capacity as chairperson of Samwu within the unit. Due to the seriousness of the allegations, the union immediately wrote to the executive management requesting immediate suspension of the senior manager. Unfortunately no action was taken,” Samwu representative Dumisani Luthuli told the M&G.
“It’s very sad how sexual harassment is dealt with in the workplace. Sexual harassment victims never really get justice.”
A psychiatrist report seen by the M&G said the junior employee’s health deteriorated to the point that she was admitted twice in the space of a year for a mental evaluation.
“The patient has no prior history of psychiatric condition and her current episode of depression was precipitated by work related stress. She complained of being sexually harassed by her manager at work. The patient is on chronic mental health medication because of anxiety attacks,” the psychiatric report states.
The M&G had sight of a letter of intention to suspend the senior manager which was however allegedly never effected. The charges listed in the letter included the use of foul language during a departmental meeting.
“Your actions contributed to emotional distress or discomfort among certain staff members. You engaged in a behaviour deemed sexually inappropriate. These allegations pertain to breaches of professional conduct expected during formal workplace activities,” it reads.
EThekwini spokesperson Gugu Sisilana declined to discuss the merits of the sexual harassment allegations.
“As a matter of principle, and in accordance with the provisions of the Local Government: Municipal Systems Act, 2000 … and the Disciplinary Regulations for Senior Managers (2010), the municipality does not disclose details of internal disciplinary processes to third parties, including the media,” Sisilana said.
“This applies irrespective of the nature or credibility of the allegations.”