SowetanLive reports that a former intern at Black Management Forum Investment (BMFI) is demanding damages of R5m for unfair dismissal and in respect of allegations of rape she made against the forum’s president Andile Nomlala.
The employee, 27, who left the company in July after her contract was terminated, said she was “raped and sexually assaulted” by Nomlala at his Bryanston home in May last year. She claimed this happened after attending a work function when Nomlala offered her a lift home but instead drove to his house where he allegedly made sexual advances to her. Nomlala has denied the allegations, saying they were an “attempt to weaponise the seriousness of sexual harassment and sexual assault’’. The former employee also lodged a claim of unfair dismissal with the CCMA in August after the company terminated her contract in July, citing “human capital rationalisation strategy”. She is demanding a two-year payout. She said she was also traumatised after being humiliated by a senior manager who yelled at her in front of colleagues for having gone out to buy menstrual products. The woman did not detail any allegations of rape or sexual assault in her CCMA case. Instead, she said Nomlala contacted her on 30 August asking her to “name her price or return to work”. The investment company allegedly withdrew its termination letter on 9 September and requested the complainant to report for work, but she apparently refused the offer. On 19 September, the woman’s lawyers wrote to the BMFI claiming damages for severe trauma, stress and humiliation suffered allegedly from the sexual assault. BMF acting managing director Philippe Bakohoukoutela confirmed that the company had instituted an investigation into the allegations. He said Nomlala had requested a three-month leave of absence until the investigations were concluded.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Mpho Koka at SowetanLive
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