THE chief executive of the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) has turned the tables against a colleague who accused him of sexual harassment. Thelejane Thelejane is now suing Lineo Moqasa, the public relations officer, for M5 million after she alleged that he harassed her in the office.
This content is for subscribers only. To subscribe, Click Here. Or Sign In
In mid-November last year Moqasa wrote to the Minister of Natural Resource, Mohlomi Moleko, accusing Thelejane of using his position as the boss to make inappropriate sexual and unwelcome advances at her.
She said Thelejane victimised her when she rejected his advances.
Days after the letter, the WASCO board bizarrely suspended Moqasa on the grounds that they wanted to investigate her allegations and that she had indicated that she no longer felt safe working with Thelejane.
Thelejane claims, in court papers, that Moqasa fabricated the allegations to avoid pending disciplinary action.
He claims Moqasa wrote to the minister to “seek political refuge in a political functionary” without following WASCO’s grievance procedures.
This, he alleges, was none other than a “ruse or stratagem employed by her to avoid facing disciplinary action over acts of misconduct”.
Thelejane says Moqasa’s letter was wanting in detail and vague on dates when the alleged sexual harassment and advances were made.
He tells the court that the “defamatory and or untruthful” allegations which made headlines in a local newspaper made him the subject of public debate and ridicule.
Thelejane says Moqasa “staged a venomous vendetta of tainting his professional and moral reputation”.
This, he claims, gave the impression that he was a sexual predator who sexually harassed his subordinates.
“The disseminated information was a venomous attack on the professional repute and bore a taint to the moral turpitude in that he is an abuser of not only women but his colleagues.”
The intention, he claims, was to give the impression that he abuses his position as chief executive for sexual favours and gratification.
Thelejane says the allegations have affected his relations with family and fellow professionals.
He wants the court to order Moqasa to pay him M5 million in damages for defamation.
In her letter, Moqasa pleaded with the minister to intervene.
“Mr Thelejane has previously proposed to me (ho mphereha) and upon my refusal to the proposition, he indicated that he was going to ensure my departure from WASCO,” Moqasa said.
“On one occasion, whilst visiting his office on work-related business, he made inappropriate and unwelcome physical sexual advances, in the form of a supposed intimate hug.”
She told Moleko that she “refused, condemned and immediately fled his office”.
“Following this incident, and other inappropriate and unacceptable sexual utterances, I no longer feel safe to be in his office for fear of the same and/or similar episodes repeating themselves,” Moqasa said.
Staff Reporter
