Boss ‘isolates’ female metro cop after alleged sexual assault

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Cape Town - A city council officer who landed in the intensive-care unit (ICU) after an alleged sexual assault by her superintendent has been “isolated” and relegated to a back room of the metro police department following her reporting the crime. The city council, however, believes this is in her “best interests”. The officer’s husband has taken issue with the fact that the executive director for safety and security, Wayne le Roux, who is alleged to have dismissed her previous complaint of abuse and now faces a charge of victimisation, is still in his post. The woman, who wants to remain anonymous for fear of further reprisals, accused Le Roux of making little of her complaint of verbal abuse by her two seniors in the metro police department in 2015. She said nothing had come of her complaint, and her husband said they were told to “drop it”. “I filed an abuse complaint in 2015 against two seniors in the internal investigations department, but never received any feedback from Wayne le Roux,” she said.

At the time, her husband accused the executive director for safety and security, Richard Bosman, of saying: “If you don’t stop, there will be consequences”. Bosman has denied making this statement.

The city council’s media manager, Luthando Tyhalibongo, also denies that nothing was done about the abuse claim. He said following an internal investigation, the 2015 allegation was resolved.

In May, the officer, a constable, landed in ICU after she said she was abused and sexually assaulted by another male colleague.

She then lodged a complaint with the city council’s special investigations unit, and the accused’s disciplinary process is said to be under way.

“We are still awaiting the full and final report,” she said yesterday.

Tyhalibongo said the alleged perpetrator was suspended in June, and a disciplinary hearing would commence at the end of the month.

“The matter remains sub judice,” Tyhalibongo said.

The officer’s husband, whose name is being withheld to protect the wife’s identity, said no one from the city council informed him that his wife was admitted to hospital.

He is furious that Le Roux was still occupying his position, while his wife has been redeployed to the CCTV office, he said.

“Since June 18, my wife has been sitting unproductive and isolated in a back room created by Le Roux, far away from her colleagues. He is punishing a female constable for lodging a complaint of sexual assault against his senior friend. This month advocates for the rights and plight of women in our country, but the City of Cape Town officials appear to stand for abuse against women. Le Roux is charged with victimisation against my wife, but he is still in office. Le Roux is abusing his power. The redeployment also goes against the city council’s relocation policy,” the husband said.

Le Roux said there was nothing punitive about the move, and it was in the officer’s best interests.

“Please note that the complaint against Le Roux deals with the relocation of the staff member. The redeployment was in her best interests until the conclusion of the hearing. This measure was taken in order to protect her. The comments regarding Mr Bosman are denied,” Tyhalibongo said.

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Cape Times