Constance Gaanakgomo
AS SOUTH Africans were reeling from the upsurge in the sex-based hate crimes last week, following the murder of Karabo Mokoena and the attacks on other women, the nation woke up to Minister in the Presidency, Jeff Radebe’s sexting escapades.
Radebe, the longest serving cabinet minister and one of the few highly respected politicians, stands accused of sending explicit, flirtatious messages which were overtly sexual, to a female presidential photographer, Siyasanga Mbambani.
“C.l.i.t is requested,” he texted to her, in what is understood to have been a request for her clitoris.
In another text sent last year, he requested she “take one down” – an apparent reference to her private parts.
Predictably, the scandal set social media ablaze, with the hashtag #nudesforjeff leading the trends list. Yet again, issues such as woman abuse, victim blaming, patriarchy, misogyny, infidelity and abuse of power became the talking points as Radebe’s conduct was called into question.
Amid the outpouring of criticism, there were those who were less sympathetic to Mbambani. They said she seemed to have been playing along to the minister’s sexual overtures.
Mbambani did actually admit to sending him some pictures, but claimed to have done so while in a drunken stupor, so she couldn’t be an innocent victim, said some of the views on social media.
As shocking as it was, Radebe’s conduct has shone the spotlight on the sexual conduct and power relations between bosses and their subordinates in the workplace.
Most important, it has also raised questions about the existence, or lack of, sexual policies in the workplace.
If these policies exist, are they sufficient and adequate in terms of the regulations and procedures in dealing with cases of sexual harassment? And what about implementation? Do organisations and institutions act and follow through such cases whenever they arise?
Rabebe’s flirtatious scandal with Mbambani provides a good case study for organisations and institutions on some of the pertinent issues to reflect on, when faced with complaints of a similar nature.
But it is important to look at the issue in context, if one is to make any inferences and conclusions.
For starters, the pair reportedly started communicating in 2014 after Mbambani sent Radebe images she’d taken of him at a government event. He allegedly asked for her cellphone number so he could thank her personally. He then allegedly started harassing her for nude images of herself.
She initially refused, and instead
Suntosh R Pillay
sent him a fully clothed picture of herself. Eventually she sent a picture of herself in a bubble bath and one exposing her chest. So at what point does flirting become sexual harassment? Is flirting even permissible in the workplace?
Research associate Lisa Vetten from the Wits Institute for Social and Economic Research says this issue is very complex and broad as many factors come into play.
“One of the things that hasn’t been talked about is the complexities of sex in the workplace, and how to deal with it. How do you deal with it?” Vetten asks.
Some universities, notably, Wits University, have had to revise their policies on sexual misconduct after complaints were laid against certain lecturers harassing students.
Vetten says it’s important for organisations and institutions to have clear policies to deal with issues of sexual conduct in the workplace so that they are not caught off guard when they arise.
“I think whenever you’re going to put people together, whether they are the opposite sex or the same sex, there is going to be something about sexuality. Some workplaces find ways to keep sexuality out of the working environment, but others don’t. So I think there is also a question of what kind of workplace culture you have.” Vetten explains that this is particularly important, especially in situations in which issues of power relations between the genders come to the fore.
“(One needs to) consider a broader question here, like how does one deal with sexual orientation and sexual feelings…”
“It certainly illustrates the sexual dynamics, and raises questions of sexual ethics that I think underpin all of these cases of violence.
“It may not be as extreme, but it starts to point to the need to think about our sexual ethics,” she says, adding that the scandal is yet another indication of the political leaders’ attitude towards genderbased violence.
“I think it points to possibly some real questions about why, at the level of political leadership, we struggle with leadership in relation to violence against women.”
This, she explains, is among the reasons why South Africa is not making headway in trying to address the problem. “Some of it quite clearly permeates all levels of society regardless of the level of education, power and status the individual has”.
Vetten has some advice for companies – and employees – who find themselves in similar situations: “I think one would have to look at the person who is doing the asking. What’s their position of power? And it might be slightly flattering to you as a subordinate to be noticed by a powerful person but the thing is, what happens when these things go sour?
“Who is the one who might just have to leave, who is the one whose
Some workplaces find ways to keep sexuality out of the office
OFFENDED: Presidential photographer Siyasanga Mbambani says she was harassed. career could get into trouble?”
Nhlanhla Mokwena, directorgeneral at People Opposed to Women Abuse (Powa) condemned Radebe’s behaviour and expressed dismay at those blaming Mbambani.
She said they were appalled and disappointed with Radebe as he was a person in a position of power.
“He should not be engaging in such behaviour, especially because he is a married man with kids… So it’s quite irresponsible, and it shows clearly why civil society organisations are saying there is no political will to end violence against women.
“It’s as if we are talking about something we don’t know or we don’t understand, but clearly his behaviour shows that we don’t have that (political will).”
Mokwena criticised Minister for Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu for saying 22-yearold Karabo Mokoena – who was allegedly murdered by her partner – was “weak and hence she became a victim of abuse”.
Mokwena suggested that it was partly because of such statements of “victim blaming” that the vicious cycle of woman abuse continued unabated: “Women are being killed, women are being raped, and at the same time, ministers such as Shabangu said Karabo was weak.
“None of us women are strong enough to deal with violence against women. We are also not immune as women, so that, for me, shows there is no political will to end violence against women, because we blame survivors.
“We are saying communities, and family members should not blame, but the minister of women is blaming.”
Shabangu has since sought to clarify her controversial statements, saying: “I just wanted to say Karabo was vulnerable.”
Mokwena said politicians like Shabangu should, instead of victim blaming, look at the underlying problems and look for solutions to help curb the scourge. “Research is indicating to us that in order to deal with violence against women and children, we need to have programmes that build gender equality from a very young age.
We need to invest in such programmes and invest in changing the attitudes of our kids, and our young people,” Mokwena said.