ATNS boss on ice amid sexual harassment claim 

The Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS) has suspended its senior manager Simon Zwane over allegations that he forced a junior employee to perform oral sex on him, touched her inappropriately and made sexually offensive remarks against her. 

Zwane, the head of air traffic management at the state-owned entity responsible for air traffic navigation, is accused by a junior female employee, who is known to Sunday World. 

 Last week Sunday World reported that the employee had written a complaint of sexual harassment against Zwane, which was sent to the company bosses, who included the COO, Josia Manyakoana and three other senior managers within the company, as well as the union boss of Solidarity, Barend Smit. 

On Wednesday, ATNS spokesperson Mphilo Dlamini confirmed that the company had suspended Zwane based on sexual harassment allegations levelled against him. 

“Air Traffic and Navigation Services would like to provide the following update regarding the allegations of sexual harassment against one of the male senior managers.  

“The independent investigation against the senior manager is already underway. The accused senior manager was placed on precautionary suspension immediately after the company received the complaint,” said Dlamini. 

Dlamini also said that ATNS was extremely concerned about the damaging claims and negative perception that “males in management have made it a norm that for junior females to progress within ATNS, there must be some sort of transaction, such as sexual favours.” 

 “It is against that backdrop that the company has invited individuals who may have information to report these incidents to our whistleblowing hotline.  

ATNS has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual harassment and any form of harassment within the company and it is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for all its employees,” said Dlamini. 

Dlamini also stated that ATNS has instituted an independent investigation to get to the bottom of the matter. 

The woman employee filed a formal sexual harassment complaint against Zwane, accusing him of forcing her to perform oral sex on him.  

In one of the incidents, she alleged that Zwane had slipped his hand under her dress and caressed her to the point where he wanted to reach her private parts.  

The complainant has since taken medical leave after she fell into depression. 

The complainant declined to comment when called.  

Zwane did not respond to questions sent to him for comment. 

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Bongani Mdakane