A former senior manager in eThekwini metro who quietly resigned following allegations that he had demanded sexual favours from female employees in exchange for promotion and permanent employment, is likely to get off scot-free.
This follows fears from alleged victims they might be fired for being unduly offered jobs.
Sunday World has established through a source close to the investigation that those who fell victim to the sex escapades, which have allegedly become institutionalised, want assurances that they will keep their jobs.
“There are many women who are believed to have been sexually exploited by the perpetrator in return for permanent positions. Some are managers in different departments and are earning high salaries and they are afraid of coming forward because they think this might lead to them losing their jobs or demotion,” said the source who is not authorised to speak to the media.
The manager, who is known to this paper but cannot be named because he has not been officially charged by the police, allegedly committed the acts in his office inside the municipal premises.
The perpetrator, who is said to be in his early 60s, is alleged to have preyed on young women who were seeking internships and in-service training opportunities with the metro.
He also allegedly demanded sexual favours from those who were already in the system but wanted to be promoted to better salary grades and positions. His escapades came to an abrupt end when the metro’s integrity and investigation unit raided his office and allegedly found incriminating evidence, which directly linked him to sexual offences.
Another insider said the alleged victims had broken their silence and lodged complaints with the unit wanting the manager to be held accountable.
“One of the victims was honest and said that she was somebody’s wife and that if she testified her husband and children would be embarrassed. Other concerns she raised was that the manager under scrutiny had committed the sexual offences for years and had been protected politically,” the insider told Sunday World.
It also emerged that when investigators from the metro’s investigative unit raided the perpetrator’s office they found a sleeper couch, sex enhancement pills, women’s underwear, adult entertainment DVDs and condoms.
As a key manager in the human resources division who wielded influence on who gets hired and fired, the alleged perpetrator would invite women over to his office and have sex with them in exchange for jobs and promotions.
The offences were allegedly committed after working hours and in the early morning hours before other staff members reported for duty.
Another allegation is that he identified some of his targets during interviews, promising them a job if they acceded to his sexual desires.
EThekwini municipality spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela could not be drawn into confirming the merits of the investigation, saying it was an internal disciplinary matter.
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