Tshwane council’s resolution to rescind the failed 2003 sexual harassment policy collective agreement has been hailed as a step in the right direction to deal with incidents of harassment facing workers in the municipality.
The decision to revoke the policy was taken after it was concluded that the City has not benefited from a thorough policy review since its inception despite several high-profile cases involving senior officials previously implicated in sexual harassment.
The resolution paved a way for the municipality to comply with the code of good practice on the prevention and elimination of harassment in the workplaces, which was published in the Government Gazette in 2022.
ANC Councillor Donald Tsela said his party commended the City on the code of good practice intended to prevent, eliminate and manage all manner of harassment that pervade the workplaces.
He cited that a top manager in Tshwane had been accused of harassing workers and threatening them daily.
He mentioned a case of a victim who collapsed in front of her colleagues after she was insulted.
“It's also worth noting that South Africa has all forms of harassment such as unfair discrimination. That constitutes a barrier of equity and equality in the workplace,” Tsela said.
He added that it was important to eliminate sexual harassment, gender-based violence and bullying from workplaces.
Tsela also suggested that the code of good practice should not restrict the workers to express their views on social media, especially after working hours.
“We have tik tok influencers called (MMC for Finance) Jacqui Uys and Mayor (Cilliers Brink) who make videos on tik tok to address the City’s workers. Equally, the employees of the City should also reserve the right to reply to these social media influencers who run the City,” he said.
EFF councillor Tshegofatso Mashabela said women in the City were still subjected to inequality, discrimination and harassment.
He blamed the City manager, Johann Mettler, for not doing anything to protect women.
“The City of Tshwane must take a position about Johann Mettler. He is irresponsible and he does not qualify to be in an environment whereby it caters for women because those offices are subjected to inhuman behaviour and no one is taking accountability,” she said.
Council resolution also stated that the Group Human Capital’s Labour Relations Division must keep a corporate register on all harassment cases reported in the City.
The division must also provide an annual corporate report to the City manager and the mayoral committee on interventions to maintain a culture free of all forms of harassment.
In 2022, the City fired a senior manager after he was found guilty of sexual harassment.
At the time, the SA Municipal Workers Union in Tshwane said the official's axing was made after a number of female employees had complained to the union, alleging sexual harassment.
The manager’s name was withheld to protect the identity of his victims.
Pretoria News