LOCAL government and traditional affairs MEC Fikile Xasa has called on victims of a sex-for-jobs scandal which has rocked Bhisho to come forward so action can be taken against guilty parties.
The call comes as the legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet launched an investigation into claims that job applicants for the legislature were asked for sexual favours in return for employment.
Xasa on Monday met with National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) officials and demanded they provide him with proof and details of any sexual harassment in his department.
“We agreed that the department has a sexual harassment policy that deals with these issues. We have no case that has been reported as yet and I demanded evidence.
“If they can not provide evidence there is nothing we can do and these kind of allegations will continue to put the department into disrepute,” Xasa said.
Xasa told the Daily Dispatch that he and the union agreed that no action could be taken against superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile until the union provided proof regarding allegations against him.
The union had claimed in a memo that Khanyile was “implicated in the intended ignorance of recruitment policy and employing foreigners and also not implementing the employment equity policy”.
The memo also took aim at staff of former local government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane, alleging that two of his former core staff were absorbed as permanent employees within the department.
Regarding the matter Xasa said: “As the executive we had agreed on how we will manage the issue of core staff. It is going to be myself who decides what I do with the staff that I found in that office … nobody else.”
A member of the executive council can appoint up to nine core staff members, who serve for the duration of the MEC’s term.
On Monday, Nehawu made fresh claims of nepotism and sexual harassment allegedly taking place in Bhisho.
In the memo to Xasa, the union blamed Khanyile for what is growing into a broader jobs scandal in the provincial capital.
Khanyile, who had yet to see the memo, denied any wrongdoing.
The memo also demanded an end to “the appointments of friends, girlfriends and families”, without elaborating.
Xasa said he agreed to respond to all issues raised in the memo in the stipulated seven days.
Nehawu branch chairman Lennox Maho confirmed the meeting with Xasa, but could not give details.
“We will give a proper statement when the MEC has responded to all issues raised in our memorandum,” Maho said.
Proof sought over 'sex-for-jobs' scandal
The call comes as the legislature speaker Noxolo Kiviet launched an investigation into claims that job applicants for the legislature were asked for sexual favours in return for employment.
Xasa on Monday met with National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) officials and demanded they provide him with proof and details of any sexual harassment in his department.
“We agreed that the department has a sexual harassment policy that deals with these issues. We have no case that has been reported as yet and I demanded evidence.
“If they can not provide evidence there is nothing we can do and these kind of allegations will continue to put the department into disrepute,” Xasa said.
Xasa told the Daily Dispatch that he and the union agreed that no action could be taken against superintendent-general Stanley Khanyile until the union provided proof regarding allegations against him.
The union had claimed in a memo that Khanyile was “implicated in the intended ignorance of recruitment policy and employing foreigners and also not implementing the employment equity policy”.
The memo also took aim at staff of former local government MEC Mlibo Qoboshiyane, alleging that two of his former core staff were absorbed as permanent employees within the department.
Regarding the matter Xasa said: “As the executive we had agreed on how we will manage the issue of core staff. It is going to be myself who decides what I do with the staff that I found in that office … nobody else.”
A member of the executive council can appoint up to nine core staff members, who serve for the duration of the MEC’s term.
On Monday, Nehawu made fresh claims of nepotism and sexual harassment allegedly taking place in Bhisho.
In the memo to Xasa, the union blamed Khanyile for what is growing into a broader jobs scandal in the provincial capital.
Khanyile, who had yet to see the memo, denied any wrongdoing.
The memo also demanded an end to “the appointments of friends, girlfriends and families”, without elaborating.
Xasa said he agreed to respond to all issues raised in the memo in the stipulated seven days.
Nehawu branch chairman Lennox Maho confirmed the meeting with Xasa, but could not give details.
“We will give a proper statement when the MEC has responded to all issues raised in our memorandum,” Maho said.
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