LETŠENG Diamond Mine this week rejected charges that it tolerates sexual malpractices in its workplace. The response comes a few days after a woman claimed in a Facebook post by Voice of Nation Media that she had been fondled at Letseng Diamond, a charge the company says is untrue. The woman says she has since resigned from Letšeng in protest claiming that her case was treated unfairly.
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There was also a letter sent to the Letšeng management from workers calling themselves Extremely Concerned Group of Female Employees received by the mine’s whistleblowing facility.
The letter, the company says, was also complaining of fondling of women at the mine.
However, in a statement on Monday the mine said it “provided grievance and whistleblowing platforms over which all employees may report (anonymously if so desired) any acts of misconduct which are not in alignment with the Letšeng Values and Code of Conduct”.
“Matters alleged in the initial whistleblowing letter were investigated thoroughly and reported accordingly,” the company says.
“The investigation did not find substance to the claims and allegations made by the Group,” it says.
“Through the interventions and investigations undertaken, no new information has come to light from any person, instead a repeat letter of defamatory allegations has surfaced and has now been published without any verification, by an entity called Voice of Nation Media on Facebook.”
Letšeng says it “does not take lightly to the unauthorised use of the company’s official letterhead to voice uninformed and unverified allegations, and to cause publication thereof on social media”.
“As a company we have a duty to not only protect employees at all levels of the organisation by creating a physically and psychologically safe working environment, but also to protect the image and reputation of the company,” it says.
“We are concerned that these allegations have been made in a manner that is defamatory to our employees (former and current).”
It says it does not tolerate any form of abuse against or by its employees, and has provided safe platforms, for workers to report any acts that violate its values, “and to handle with confidentiality any information obtained from such reported incidents”.
Alice Samuel
