Question NW725 to the Minister of Public Works
04 April 2018 - NW725
Purdon, Mr RK to ask the Minister of Public Works
Whether his department has a sexual harassment and assault policy in place; if not, (a) why not and (b) by what date will his department have such a policy in place; if so, (i) how are reports investigated and (ii) what are the details of the consequence management and sanctions stipulated by the policy; (2) (a) what is the total number of incidents of sexual harassment and assault that have been reported in his department (i) in each of the past three financial years and (ii) since 1 April 2017, (b) what number of cases were (i) opened and concluded, (ii) withdrawn and (iii) remain open based on the incidents and (c) what sanctions were issued for each person who was found to have been guilty?
Reply:
1. The Department of Public Works (DPW) has got an approved Sexual Harassment Policy in place since 2005 (Annexure A).
(i) Reports are investigated by the DPW Labour Relations unit.
(ii) The Departmental policy does not specify the detail on consequence management, but it is guided by the Policy and Procedures on the Management of Sexual Harassment in the Public Service sanctioned by the Department of Public Service and Administration (DPSA). (Annexure B)
2. (a)
(i) One case of sexual harassment was reported during the 2014/2015 financial year.
Four cases of assault were reported during the 2014/2015 financial year.
No case of sexual harassment was reported during the 2015/2016 financial year.
One case of assault was reported during the 2015/2016 financial year.
No case of sexual harassment was reported during the 2016/2017 financial year.
Three cases of assault were reported during the 2016/2017 financial year.
(ii) No cases of sexual harassment and assault were reported in the financial year 2017/2018.
(b)
(i) Eight cases of misconduct relating to assault were opened and concluded.
(ii) None.
(iii) One case of sexual harassment is still pending due to an employee’s ill health.
(c) Three employees had sanctions imposed on them by way of one month’s suspension from work without pay coupled with final written warnings for assault.
Three employees were given final written warnings for assault.
One employee’s contract expired before misconduct charges could be preferred against them.