The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) is embroiled in a sex scandal that has allegedly resulted in the dismissal of one of the lecturers.
This followed a woman student in the department of journalism accusing the lecturer of demanding sex in exchange for favourable marks in his subject.
The university has refused to comment, but news of the lecturer’s alleged dismissal hit social networking site Facebook on Tuesday.
TUT dismissed questions by the Pretoria News, saying the issue was an internal disciplinary matter and under investigation.
The university also refused to answer questions about whether the lecturer, whose name is known to the Pretoria News, had been formally accused of sexual harassment by the student.
It also refused to say whether the student’s allegations included manipulation of her academic results based on whether she had sex with the lecturer.
“It is an internal disciplinary matter, which is still under investigation,” TUT spokeswoman Willa de Ruyter said.
“TUT cannot comment on the matter at present.”
The Pretoria News has learnt that the lecturer was found guilty of the allegations levelled against him and has been served with a letter of dismissal by the university.
The sexual demands allegedly started three years ago, when the student was doing her first year of a journalism diploma.
The allegations apparently stem from communication between the two on Facebook.
The lecturer is alleged to have declared his intentions to sleep with the student.
The student alleged in her complaint to the university that the lecturer had failed her in his subject after she refused to have sex with him.
But others in the journalism department have said the student was trying to make up for her dismal academic performance by blaming the lecturer.
The Pretoria News has seen communication between the lecturer and the student in which he disputes her allegations.
In it he accuses her of blaming her poor academic performance on the sexual harassment allegations against him.
Some in the department have also backed the lecturer, with students apparently testifying in his favour during the disciplinary hearing.
Comments on the saga were made on Facebook on Tuesday, with a number of TUT students taking to the platform to express their delight at the lecturer’s alleged dismissal.
A student who led the Facebook outrage said: “So (name) is kicked out of TUT, Life is a karma WOW!!!! Thank God now people will pass… no more thousands of stupid reviews!!!! (sic)”
Her status update sparked a flood of responses rejoicing at the dismissal.
But others called the student to order about posting about the matter on Facebook.
The Pretoria News understands that the students who testified in favour of the lecturer were vilified on Facebook.
Another student said: “(The lecturer) is gone and no longer in the picture.
“Those who tried to testify against (accuser) lost together with him.
“I don’t care whether he sees this or not, he’s out of TUT so he’s out of my life!
“Who cares, this goes for a celebration he’s proved to be reckless and misleading.
“Never think that dating/trying to date school kids will get you anywhere, you shall fail like the rest of them (sic).”
The university was embroiled in controversy in 2008 after an internal investigation revealed that two woman students had sex with university officials to secure student bursaries.
The students said they had sex with the officials at the home of one of the officials in Soshanguve, while another student had paid R1 800 to secure the loan.
The students revealed the information after the loans were not granted by the university.
Pretoria News