A 20-YEAR-OLD first year tourism student is struggling to cope after she, and her older sister, were forced by a lecturer to sleep with him in exchange for getting them registered.
The student from Thohoyandou, Limpopo, said the lecturer at Tshwane South TVET College, who’s also head of department, slept with them at his home in Mabopane, Tshwane, on 12 February.
She said he picked them up at a garage and took them to his house.
He told them there was no space at the college, but he could register them in exchange for a favour.
“He said if I had sex with him, he would register me even if the school was full. He pushed me to agree, though I was reluctant.”
She said the lecturer had sex with her using a condom.
“He asked if I was okay and I pretended to be so he could add me to the data system. He slept with my elder sister while I was waiting for my turn on the same day.”
She said they cried together when they got home.
“On 15 February, we received emails that the school had accepted us. He told us not to call him. He even blocked me and said he didn’t trust me,” said the student.
She said she hadn’t told her friends, fellow students and her family about the incident because it was embarrassing.
“Whenever I see him I get angry. I’m traumatised and not living my own life anymore. The lecturer has destroyed my future and I don’t feel safe around any man.”
She said he threatened that if she ever told anyone, she’d lose her place at the college.
“I’m ready to face that lecturer.”
Her 22-year-old sister repeated the same events.
“He took advantage of us and I want him to get arrested,” he sister told Daily Sun.
A 24-year-old student said the same lecturer told her on 13 July that they should have sex.
“I refused and I’m still on the waiting list. He even threatened to stop the process of my application if I said something,” she said.
Founder of Sekwanele Foundation, Francinah Mpye, said she was helping the students because she hated seeing them being abused and suffering.
Mpye said if the lecturer was not removed from the college, they would make sure it got closed.
Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation spokesman Ishmael Mnisi said they were not aware of the incident, and advised that contact with the principal be made.
“The department will know once the principal or council brings it forward,” he said.
The college’s deputy principal, Goodman Mnisi, expressed shock at the incident.
“No stone will be left unturned in getting employees to account for such serious misconduct.
“We request the complainants to give more information to assist in the investigation,” he said.
The 20-year-old has since opened a case.
Gauteng Police spokesman Captain Mavela Masondo said: “A case of rape has been opened.”
Department of Social Development spokesperson Feziwe Ndwayana told the People’s Paper: “The department was not aware of the matter.
“It will provide psychosocial support to the victims.”
