Pretoria - Even though social media was abuzz on Wednesday regarding the treatment of SAPS female officers in removing naked protester Gugu Ncube from the Union Buildings, Sunnyside police maintain they did nothing wrong.
For most of the day Twitter has been going ‘haywire’ after videos of Ncube’s naked protest and forced removal from the entrance of the Union Buildings surfaced online.
Numerous people took to social media pledging their support of Ncube’s plea to speak to President Cyril Ramaphosa regarding the unfair and abusive treatment she received from Unisa and the police, regarding her sexual abuse allegations.
Pretoria News first reported on the matter on March 28, 2018, but did not name the former employee due to the seriousness of the allegations.
Ncube wrote online that the sexual abuse went on for two weeks, starting from January 13.
She said during that time, the board member forced her to send messages to him and respond to the texts he had drafted.
However, she added, the messages were tailored to look like she was in a romantic relationship with the man.
She claimed she attempted to report the matter to the chairperson of the board of the centre, but he dismissed her appeal for assistance and allegedly told her to sort out her issues with the alleged perpetrator.
He also allegedly told her that as far as he knew she had resigned from the centre, but could not produce a resignation letter.
She further claimed that upon inquiring with the HR department, she was informed that they were instructed by the chairperson to terminate her employment.
In desperation, she apparently approached Unisa vice-chancellor Professor Mandla Makhanya. In her words, he informed her that he couldn’t intervene in the matter.
“I was shocked by his response; saying that he had nothing to do with what was happening at the Unisa centre.”
“For an institution as big as Unisa to cover up and protect men who still believe in sexually harassing women at work, intimidate and bully women and openly violate their human rights is a shame.”
Sunnyside police spokesperson, Captain David Mavimbela, said the police had arrested Ncube on charges of public indecency.
When questioned on the manner in which Ncube was handled by SAPS members, Mavimbela said the officers had done nothing wrong but to simply do their job.
“Those female officers were simply doing their job and she is currently in police custody.”