PROVINCE INTRODUCES STEPS TO TACKLE SEXUAL HARASSMENT

The difficulty of establishing the facts relating to recent allegations of sexual harassment necessitates the establishment of functional systems that enable the facts to emerge immediately and appropriately so that any infringement can be dealt with, through due process, to uphold the rights of all involved.  In these matters, it is a top priority to establish the facts.  Rumour, innuendo and agendas complicate matters and infringe the rights of all concerned.

While the Provincial Government has had a Sexual Harassment Policy for a decade, adopted by the Provincial Bargaining Council under a DA government in 1999, it has subsequently fallen into disuse.

A functional policy is necessary to prevent people from being frightened of reporting cases of sexual harassment for fear of victimisation or losing their jobs.

A functional policy is also necessary to prevent people making vexatious and false allegations, to deal with issues immediately and professionally, to protect all parties and establish the facts as soon as possible, and to prevent various agendas and extraneous motives coming into play.

Today we announce the following steps to resurrect the Policy and bring a new focus to the prevention and policing of sexual harassment in the work environment:

·         The current Sexual Harassment Policy is under review. My Department will contribute to the analysis and review of the Policy and will suggest incorporating examples of best practice in this field where appropriate. The review will be completed and presented to me by 31 March 2010

·         The existing departmental counselors, who ordinarily manage allegations and reports of harassment, will be given intensive training in dealing with all elements of sexual harassment before 1 May 2010.

·         These departmental counselors will now meet me once a quarter so that I can get a direct overview and afford them my office's assistance if necessary.

·         I have appointed a person in my office tasked with coordinating and assisting the work of the departmental counselors in liaison with Human Resources. This person will also champion my fight to rid the work environment of any sort of harassment.

·         A Sexual Harassment training course will immediately be added to the compulsory induction training for all new Western Cape Provincial Government employees.

These new processes are being introduced to protect the rights of people who work in the Provincial Government and who serve as political office bearers.

Our new system will also have checks and balances built in to protect people's rights against frivolous or vexatious claims in order to prevent abuse of the system.

Statement issued by Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape, February 15 2010

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