‘Sister’ lecturer in harassment furore

A SENIOR lecturer at the University of Zululand allegedly fondled his colleague’s genitals and, on another occasion, tried to drag the man into a toilet stall on campus because he wanted his “urine checked”.

Respect Mondli Miya was hauled before a disciplinary hearing this week after a staff member and a fourth-year male nursing student lodged separate complaints of sexual harassment and unprofessional conduct against him.

Miya is facing seven charges, six of which involve sexual harassment and unprofessional conduct. The allegations include:

Touching the staff member’s genitals while the men were seated close to each other in a lecture room waiting for students to arrive for registration earlier this year;

Making unwelcome advances to the staff member during a strategic planning meeting last year;

WhatsApping a photograph of himself wearing a dress and heavy makeup to the student after calling him and asking him whether he could keep secrets; and

Slapping the student on the bottom in front of a secretary in February.

The complainants’ names are known to the Sunday Times.

The seventh charge relates to Miya — a lecturer in the nursing sciences department — taking time off work without permission.

In their statements, which were submitted to Professor Thokozani Mhlongo, the head of department for nursing science, the men said they were traumatised by the incidents.

The staff member said he had pushed Miya’s hand away when he touched his genitals, and then moved to sit away from him. “I was very uncomfortable,” he said.

In another incident in March, Miya allegedly tried to drag the staff member into a toilet stall to “check his [Miya’s] urine”. The man refused.

“I was sexually molested as a child from the age of five. These incidents are bringing back traumatic memories and are having a severe impact on me,” the staff member said.

The student said in his statement that Miya had sent him photographs including one of Miya kissing a woman and another of him “wearing a lady’s dress” and with makeup on his face.

“I did not open other pictures because of the trauma and confusion I had. I deleted these pictures because I was afraid for his dignity and mine.”

Weeks later the student had been speaking to a secretary at her desk when Miya slapped his buttocks “intentionally and without my consent”, he said. “I stood there shocked and never said a word, but I was not happy IT WON’T HURT: Above, a selfie Respect Mondli Miya sent to a colleague and, left, a picture in another outfit he WhatsApped to a student about his action.” The Sunday Times established Miya had also sent a picture of himself in a female nurse’s outfit to a colleague, who posted it on an internal WhatsApp group.

Miya said he could not comment on issues that were sub judice.

But in an initial statement to the university, Miya, who is on precautionary suspension, said he believed the staff member had tried to “put a blemish on my character”.

In another lengthy response to vicechancellor Professor Xoliswa Mtose, Miya claimed Mhlongo had tried to discredit him and “told me he will make it a point that I do not become a professor in this institution”.

On Wednesday, an angry Miya posted on his Facebook page: “. . someone will die watch . . . read news.” Mhlongo declined to comment. A University of Zululand spokesman said staff disciplinary matters were confidential.