The University of Fort Hare community is aghast at a sex-for-marks scandal involving an honours student in his 30s posing as a tutor.
University spokesman Khotso Moabi confirmed to the Daily Dispatch that the student, who had officially been a tutor at the university last year at the Alice campus – but not this year – was under investigation over the allegations.
Moabi said the matter had been reported to the university management by the Student Representative Council (SRC) after a 20-year-woman he allegedly threatened to fail if she did not sleep with him was advised to report the matter by another student.
“The university views such violations in a very serious light,” he said, adding that the “tutorials” had since been stopped.
“Our university legal services is aware of the case and is providing relevant support and guidance.
“The university will spare nothing in its attempt to get to the bottom of the matter.”
Moabi said the young woman, who is still attending lectures, had been advised to go for counselling.
SRC president Njongo Baliso said there were other students who had since come forward with similar allegations against the same person.
Baliso called on the university to act quickly in its probe.
He said the university should suspend the man from campus for the safety of those involved while the investigation was under way.
The alarm was initially sounded by rights activist and trufm station manager Thobeka Buswana who, on hearing the allegations, wrote about them on her Facebook page.
“After this post I was contacted by the university Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
“He directed me to the person that I should lodge a complaint with in his office,” she said.
Javu Baloyi, spokesman for the Commission for Gender Equality, said they were grieved to hear of such developments in institutions of higher learning.
He said they had engaged with the university in the past concerning issues of sexual harassment and the “rape culture at the University of Fort Hare”.
“As the commission we will be monitoring the case and we will make sure that there is justice,” said Baloyi.
“If the allegations are true, he must leave the university.”