OPEN SECRET
- A leader allegedly ejaculated while thrusting between thighs of an employee
The office corridors of Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) are screaming loud with allegations that one of the leaders sexually harassed a female employee during a work trip in South Africa in March this year, and that the employee is only concealing the transgression for fear of losing her job.
However, the employee is said to have confided in some colleagues who pushed her to report the matter but she has since then refused to come out, fearing victimisation. Some of the employees who wanted her to report the matter are said to have warned her that if she did not report the matter, they would share with other stakeholders until the truth is revealed. That still, could not give her the courage to come out and tell all. Those claiming to be privileged with the details she shared on her ordeal allege that during the annual Association of Non Aligned Teachers Union of Southern Africa (ANTUSA) games, the said leader (name withheld) summoned the female employee in question, to his room.
When the female employee entered his room, the said leader is alleged to have locked the door and told her that he wanted to sex her. He began undressing, picked the woman and threw her on the bed; resulting in the woman’s pyjamas tearing.
Although she was still fully clothed, the man allegedly proceeded thrusting her buttocks and the woman could feel the leader’s penis repeatedly poking her inner thighs. It is alleged that the act gave the leader so much pleasure that he even ejaculated on her.
According to the sources within BOSETU office, the matter is well known by many at the union, with everyone sliding the matter under the carpet since the woman has not been able to formally lay a complaint to her bosses.
“We hear she confided in the Executive Director, Ned Phatshwane, but we have not heard anything being said about it, we are not sure if she was complaining or just confiding in a colleague,” the sources said.
They further alleged that chances of the abused woman ever speaking out or even reporting to the police are minimal or next to zero because most of them fear losing their jobs. They allege that some leaders at BOSETU are in the habit of spanking women’s buttocks and fondling them without a care. Where an affected employee has tried to speak out, they have ended up losing their jobs.
This they say is because BOSETU has no clear policy in place to guard against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Following the shared details with names being mentioned, The Midweek Sun sought to establish if there was any truth to the matter, given common talk at BOSETU that colleagues were in the habit of framing potential
opponents for positions of power. However, when reached about the matter a month ago, the allegedly abused woman asked this reporter who had shared the information. At the time, she said she could not speak freely as she was at work. Upon pressing for more information, she was still unable to either confirm nor deny the allegations made in her name. This week, the woman still maintained that she did not want to comment on the matter.
BOSETU Secretary General Tobokani RarI told The Midweek Sun that he too was not aware of the matter.
“There is nothing that has been reported to my office by any employee. I reached out to head of administration who is overseeing BOSETU administrative matters Mr Phatshwane the Executive Director, and he as well indicated that he is not aware of the incident nor any report to his office,” Rari said after an earlier inquiry.
He added that as a union, they do not tolerate issues of sexual harassment done by either union employees or against each other, done by political leadership against employees or even done by members against employees or each other.
BOSETU, he said, has strict prohibitions against sexual harassment which also protect its employees against victimisation when they expose acts of sexual harassment. He said article 21.8.1 up to 21.8.3 of the general
BOSETU conditions of service prohibits any form of harassment, including sexual harassment. It remains to be seen if the matter will ever come out or if BOSETU heirarchy will institute further investigations to determine the veracity of the claim that permeates their corridors.
The office corridors of Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) are screaming loud with allegations that one of the leaders sexually harassed a female employee during a work trip in South Africa in March this year, and that the employee is only concealing the transgression for fear of losing her job.
However, the employee is said to have confided in some colleagues who pushed her to report the matter but she has since then refused to come out, fearing victimisation. Some of the employees who wanted her to report the matter are said to have warned her that if she did not report the matter, they would share with other stakeholders until the truth is revealed. That still, could not give her the courage to come out and tell all. Those claiming to be privileged with the details she shared on her ordeal allege that during the annual Association of Non Aligned Teachers Union of Southern Africa (ANTUSA) games, the said leader (name withheld) summoned the female employee in question, to his room.
When the female employee entered his room, the said leader is alleged to have locked the door and told her that he wanted to sex her. He began undressing, picked the woman and threw her on the bed; resulting in the woman’s pyjamas tearing.
Although she was still fully clothed, the man allegedly proceeded thrusting her buttocks and the woman could feel the leader’s penis repeatedly poking her inner thighs. It is alleged that the act gave the leader so much pleasure that he even ejaculated on her.
According to the sources within BOSETU office, the matter is well known by many at the union, with everyone sliding the matter under the carpet since the woman has not been able to formally lay a complaint to her bosses.
“We hear she confided in the Executive Director, Ned Phatshwane, but we have not heard anything being said about it, we are not sure if she was complaining or just confiding in a colleague,” the sources said.
They further alleged that chances of the abused woman ever speaking out or even reporting to the police are minimal or next to zero because most of them fear losing their jobs. They allege that some leaders at BOSETU are in the habit of spanking women’s buttocks and fondling them without a care. Where an affected employee has tried to speak out, they have ended up losing their jobs.
This they say is because BOSETU has no clear policy in place to guard against sexual harassment in the workplace.
Following the shared details with names being mentioned, The Midweek Sun sought to establish if there was any truth to the matter, given common talk at BOSETU that colleagues were in the habit of framing potential
opponents for positions of power. However, when reached about the matter a month ago, the allegedly abused woman asked this reporter who had shared the information. At the time, she said she could not speak freely as she was at work. Upon pressing for more information, she was still unable to either confirm nor deny the allegations made in her name. This week, the woman still maintained that she did not want to comment on the matter.
BOSETU Secretary General Tobokani RarI told The Midweek Sun that he too was not aware of the matter.
“There is nothing that has been reported to my office by any employee. I reached out to head of administration who is overseeing BOSETU administrative matters Mr Phatshwane the Executive Director, and he as well indicated that he is not aware of the incident nor any report to his office,” Rari said after an earlier inquiry.
He added that as a union, they do not tolerate issues of sexual harassment done by either union employees or against each other, done by political leadership against employees or even done by members against employees or each other.
BOSETU, he said, has strict prohibitions against sexual harassment which also protect its employees against victimisation when they expose acts of sexual harassment. He said article 21.8.1 up to 21.8.3 of the general
BOSETU conditions of service prohibits any form of harassment, including sexual harassment. It remains to be seen if the matter will ever come out or if BOSETU heirarchy will institute further investigations to determine the veracity of the claim that permeates their corridors.