Claims of sex for jobs at university

TWO of the country’s leading academics are said to have uncovered explosive evidence of a sex for jobs and promotions culture targeting female staff at one of the country’s 26 public universities.

Former Unisa vice-chancellor Professor Barney Pityana and Professor Rocky Ralebipi-Simela said they had been approached by some of the victims of the scandal at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), who bravely shared their experiences.

The probe was conducted by Pityana and former National Library of SA chief executive Ralebipi-Simela after they were appointed in May last year as independent assessors by then Higher Education and Training minister Dr Naledi Pandor.

Pityana and Ralebipi-Simela state that the culture of abuse of women at VUT was a matter of concern.

“This comes by way of seeking sexual favours for employment and for promotions from senior managers at the institution. In practice, it is the abuse of women when breakaways are organised seemingly in order to make women available to senior managers and executives,” reads Pityana and Ralebipi-Simela’s report.

They continue: “There is a view (though it is hard to prove) that appointments and promotions at the university are achieved through the demand and provision of sexual favours.”

Those who object to the sex for jobs and promotions culture are ostracised and marginalised, according to the report.

“This is unfair labour practice, but the shame and ridicule that attaches to this is of such a nature that women are bound to be very reluctant to lay complaints,” Pityana and Ralebipi-Simela found.

They said they had decided against naming the staff members who complained and the alleged perpetrators, but instead informed former University of Johannesburg vice-chancellor Professor Ihron Rensburg, who has been VUT’s administrator since August last year.

Vice-chancellor Professor Gordon Zide and his predecessor, Professor Irene Moutlana, were informed by Pityana and Ralebipi-Simela about the allegations of sexual abuse.

According to the report, Zide claimed he was unaware that there was such a problem at VUT, while Moutlana told them she had been dealing with the matter and was well aware of the practice.

Zide could not be reached for comment yesterday.