International runway model Phumzile Grace Ntshabele has accused an operations manager for Soweto Fashion Week (SFW) of pressuring her into having sex.
Ntshabele told Sunday World that after attending the SFW Spring casting the year before, the SFW operations manager (whose name this publication knows) invited her to participate in the Pretoria Fashion Show.
“Everything was fine until the SFW operations manager invited me to attend the Pretoria Fashion Week,” said Ntshabele.
“I accepted, and when I arrived, the first thing he did was hug me and touch my buttocks. I was shocked and uncomfortable but brushed it off.
“After the fashion show, the three of us, including the SFW operations manager’s assistant, went to a restaurant. As we were sitting there, he put his hands between my thighs.
“I asked him to stop; his assistant then suggested that maybe I should date him. Again, I brushed it off, and we continued enjoying our meal.”
Harassed and mistreated
According to her, she did not get in touch with SFW again until April of this year, when SFW started casting for the winter collection.
She explained: “I wanted to attend, but my son, who is also a model, wanted to participate. As a parent, I chose to support him.
“Everything was fine until the SFW operations manager asked me for sex. He and his helper pleaded with me to have sex with him on May 8. I was offended, and I refused. I told them I am someone else’s wife.”
Ntshabele claims that she was harassed and mistreated after turning down the operations manager’s advances.
“On 8 May, I was supposed to showcase three dresses, but I was kicked out of the show. While I was rehearsing with other models, the SFW operations manager shouted at me, saying I wouldn’t be showcasing any of the dresses.
“By that time, I was already wearing one of the dresses, and I was asked to take it off and give it to another model,” she explained.
Text messages and photos
Sunday World has seen text messages between the SFW operations manager and Ntshabele.
In one of the messages, the operations manager wrote: “You’ve said a lot about me, and I think I need answers on the allegations made against me.”
Ntshabele responded: “Is it allegations that you put your hands between my thighs when you invited me to the Pretoria Fashion Show, telling me to give it to you once?
“Even your assistant was asking me to give it to you, just once. Are all these allegations true? Do you want to sleep with a widow?”
Sunday World has also seen photos of the operations manager touching Ntshabele.
She said she reported the matter to Stephen Manzini, the CEO and founder of SFW.
“The CEO was aware. Some of the incidents happened in his presence, and he did nothing to protect me. I did not report it to the police because I’ve lost hope in our justice system,” said Ntshabele.
The SFW’s operations manager had not responded to Sunday World’s enquiries by the time of publication.
CEO confirms allegations
Manzini confirmed the incident, stating: “I was not aware of this matter until it was brought to my attention.
“It was only upon my arrival at the venue that my manager informed me of issues with a model who needed to be dismissed.
“I approved the dismissal to ensure the smooth running of the event, as minimising issues is crucial during such high-profile occasions. I became further informed about the circumstances only after the event.”
Manzini continued: “We have reviewed the photos, and, while such behaviour is not condoned in the workplace, it is important to note that there was a prior existing relationship between the two individuals involved.
“This alone does not justify inappropriate conduct. The operations manager received both verbal and written warnings regarding this matter.”
