Women security guards will be employed at Walter Sisulu University women’s residences after a male guard was arrested for allegedly forcing his way into a woman student’s room and sexually harassing her.
The policy change has been implemented as a result of this week’s incident.
The male guard, who has been fired by the security company that employs him, was arrested after the alleged attack at one of the Potsdam campus residences, outside Mdantsane.
The guard, who allegedly forced his way into the student’s room, before making sexual advances, is accused of trying to bribe her to buy the 21-year old student’s silence.
Police spokesperson Colonel Sibongile Soci did not respond to questions by the time of writing yesterday.
The student cannot be named.
University spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said the guard, together with his supervisor, allegedly tried to bribe the student later that evening, resulting in the supervisor also being fired by the security company.
“In an attempt to ensure there is no effort to interfere with, intimidate, or harass the alleged victim during the ongoing investigation, all personnel who were on duty on the day of the incident have since been placed on suspension,” Tukwayo said on Thursday.
The security company did not respond to queries from DispatchLIVE. Calls to its cellphone and landline were not answered.
The incident took place in the early hours of Monday. Tukwayo said the student was undergoing counselling.
“The [security] employee currently remains in police custody pending his court appearance.
“The incident unfolded after the alleged perpetrator, while on patrol, entered one of the female residences and proceeded to make conversation with the alleged victim after letting himself into her room without permission.
“He then allegedly started making sexual advances towards the female student, despite her protestations.
“In a rather unfortunate sequence of events, it is alleged that the matter was reported to the perpetrator’s supervisor, who during the evening of November 2, following the ... incident, together with the alleged perpetrator, attempted to bribe the student with money in exchange for her silence,” Tukwayo said.
“After her refusal, her parents were called and upon their arrival just after 10pm, police were called, the suspect arrested and a case of sexual harassment opened.
“By virtue of being charged for such a serious offence, the employee has since been fired.
“For his violation of the rules and gross misconduct, the supervisor involved was also immediately fired by the security company.”
Tukwayo said the university’s management had decided that women’s residences on campus would now be guarded by female security personnel only.
The varsity also demanded that the security company concerned conduct a background security check on all security personnel deployed to Walter Sisulu University.
On Wednesday, a group of men and women students gathered to protest against the incident.
They called for the university to sack the security company.
In video footage seen by DispatchLIVE, the student concerned said Monday’s incident had traumatised her and that she was struggling to cope with her academic work ahead of her exams, which start on Monday.
She said every time she saw a security guard on campus, “I get flashbacks and panic attacks as I don’t feel safe”.
In the same video, her friend said the incident had left many women students fearful.
“Since the incident [the complainant] has been really scared.
“In fact, we all are. She was even scared to speak out about this incident, and we as her friends had to persuade her to speak out as that was not going to stop and would again happen to another girl if she did not speak out.”
SRC member Asive Zeka said: “We know that some of [the security company’s] employees have done nothing wrong and they are breadwinners in their homes, hence we do not want them to all lose their jobs.
“What we want is for the company to be replaced, and the new company coming here to contract all those other workers who were working for the incumbent security company.”
DispatchLIVE
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