Cape Town - The Western Cape Department of Health and Wellbeing has said they have concluded a probe into allegations of sexual harassment and rape levelled against an employee by a UCT student.
And have found there is “absolutely no material evidence” to support the allegations made.
A student had alleged she was sexually assaulted by a professor on the university premises.
An anonymous social media account that was alleged to have been run by the victim had tweeted last month that no action was taken against the perpetrator after reporting the ordeal.
“Im a UCT student raped by a UCT professor on UCT premises. I reported this to UCT and for months they failed to act/suspend rapist. UCT has instructed me to not report the matter and keep it ‘internal’,” read the tweet.
The department said they had appointed an independent investigating officer to probe the allegations following media reports.
“The investigation, through interviews, has concluded that there is absolutely no material evidence to support the allegations made. The investigating officer’s report, through interviews with witnesses, found that fraudulent claims of rape and sexual harassment had been made and that evidence had been fabricated.
“The department does not shy away from dealing with allegations of sexual harassment, but in doing so we remain fair to all parties involved. We continue to avail support to everyone affected by this matter.
“The department will provide the contents of the report to the relevant investigating authorities,“ the department said.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said the complainant was an employee of the Western Cape Department of Health and they were subject to the province's conditions of service.
“As a medical registrar, the complainant is also a specialist post-graduate trainee at UCT. Between August 2021 and February 2022, she approached UCT on five separate occasions concerning complaints of racism, sexism and sexual misconduct.
“On every occasion the university immediately offered support and remediation; on each occasion this was rejected and various departments were instructed by the complainant not to contact them further,” he said.
Sources close to the victim said “she was shocked and in disbelief” by the statement.
Anglican priest Reverend June Dolley-Major said she was not surprised by the outcome of the investigation.
“Because this is sadly what happens. There are no witnesses when someone gets raped; it’s the rapist and the victim. It's sad to see that they chose to believe the professor above the young woman who has laid the charges against him.
“I truly hope that she takes the matter further… and that somewhere, somehow justice is served,” she said.
This, while Commission for Gender Equality spokesperson Javu Baloyi said they were worried from the outset about the fairness of the investigation.
“We believed that the matter was due to receive unfair treatment and an objectivity of some sort was not going to be applied, because already people have passed judgment.
“Including the vice-chancellor of UCT who made a pronouncement that this person has got a certain agenda wherein the matter was reported. We are somewhat saddened that this issue was not dealt with accordingly.
“It is very disappointing that while we are a country where rape is alarming, this case was dealt with in the manner it was dealt with,” he said.
UCT EFF students’ command branch chairperson, Simamkele Mtheli, said they were “deeply disappointed” with the Health Department.
“Not only on their so-called findings, but also the manner which they dealt with this case. A case that was reported in 2019 and it was only now ‘after the survivor or those in close proximity took it to social media’ that they make a finding.
“This is raising eyebrows; people should ask themselves (whether) these findings are genuine? Or do they serve to protect the appearance and publicity of the department and the institution of UCT?”
Cape Times