This news aggregator site highlights South African labour news from a wide range of internet and print sources. Each posting has a synopsis of the source article, together with a link or reference to the original. Postings cover the range of labour related matters from industrial relations to generalist human resources.
The Star reports that a principal who hugged and tried to kiss his personal assistant (PA) by force claimed he was just joking with his victim when confronted via WhatsApp.
Nyiko Baloyi, who was a principal at Thornridge Secondary School in Pretoria, further blamed stress for his act of sexual harassment. He was confronted by the PA’s mother, who observed his action through a half-closed window. The sexual attack happened at Baloyi’s office. The victim testified in arbitration that Baloyi asked her to hug him and squeezed her so tightly she felt his erection. He also tried to kiss her by force. Later in the day, the PA’s mother confronted Baloyi via WhatsApp. Baloyi replied that he was just joking: “I was just joking with her, sorry my sister, I apologise. Think you will find a place in your heart to forgive me. Sometimes when you are stressed you end-up acting funny. Will talk tomorrow Please (sic).” The texts were deposed in arbitration, which was commissioned at Baloyi’s behest in a bid to overturn the Gauteng Education Department's 2020 decision to fire him. Baloyi denied that he was referring to the sex pest allegations in his text and maintained that he was apologising for keeping the PA long after her knock-off time. Baloyi also denied asking for a hug, saying the PA initiated it. Arbitrator Themba Manganyi found that Baloyi sought to mislead him about the context of his WhatsApp text. “Having made a determination that the (department’s) witnesses were credible and reliable and having found that their version was the most probable, I find that Baloyi was guilty as charged,” said Manganyi.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Bongani Nkosi at The Star
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page