Share

Another woman accuses well-known DJ of sexual harassment

Johannesburg - Another young woman has accused record label founder DJ Loyiso Ngavu of demanding sex from her while she worked at his Jozi Media Empire company.

Two weeks ago, City Press reported how Ngavu allegedly sexually harassed another former female employee with phone calls, saucy texts and Facebook messages.

This week, a woman, also in her 20s, who asked not to be named for fear of victimisation, alleged that Ngavu had begged her, too, to be his girlfriend.

This is the second sexual harassment complaint against publishing company Jozi Media Empire. Ngavu also lost another case, of unfair dismissal, at the Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA). The organisation did not what to reveal any details of that case.

(Text messages allegedly from Ngavu to a young woman who worked for him)

The young woman said that in April last year, she was delighted to have landed a job at Jozi Media Empire and after a three-month probation, landed a permanent job as an administrator.

“After I got the job, Ngavu declared his love for me and it was so uncomfortable because I looked at him as my boss. When I refused he made my life miserable at work,” she alleged.

“I mean who I would tell, because my human the resources manager, Phinah Ramapele, was his wife?”

The young woman said after two months of this, she resigned in desperation without another job to go to.

“I quit after he shouted at me and swore at me in front of my colleagues for the second time. It was the worst time of my life,” she said.

“I was his personal assistant, receptionist, office administrator and office manager all at the same time.”

But after two days, she went back to work.

“He and his wife called me to come back and claimed they were giving me a second chance. I had just moved in to a new place, I needed the money so I had to go back,” she said.

But then in December last year, at the company’s year-end function, it allegedly happened again.

“At our year-end party, he tried to book me a room and share the same room with me, at the same place the event was held. I refused and made an excuse about my mother and I left,” she claimed.

“As I left, his wife handed me a letter and said it was a surprise, I should open it at home. When I got home, I got the shock of my life when I opened a letter and discovered that it was a dismissal letter. This was after I had just received a certificate for outstanding performance.”

Then the following day she received a text message from him in which he said he was tired of her “lame excuses” (see photograph)

“I never returned to work. I was traumatised for six months, I was scared to apply for jobs thinking I’m going to go through the same thing. I’ve never reported the case to the Commission Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), because I’ve always knew that one will never win fighting a powerful man.”

On Friday, Ramapele said she felt betrayed by the young women who have accused her husband of sexual harassment.

“I’m shocked because I don’t remember even one female employee coming to me to complain about my husband. I feel like these girls betrayed me because I was protecting them and we were open with each other,” she said.

“As women, we go through challenges on a daily basis and it is our responsibility not to bottle them up, but to talk about them. At some point I was taking bullets for these young girls because I was always protecting them.”

Ramapele said she couldn’t say who was in the right – her husband or the women – because she wasn’t aware of everything that happened in the office.

“On Women’s Day, I bought goodie bags and gave to all my eight female employees, to say to them we are all women, let’s love and embrace each other,” she said.

Asked what she would have advised the young women if they had confided in her, Ramapele said: “I would have told them to go and open a case at the CCMA. Because it he did that to them, it means he could do it to my sister or someone close to me.”

Ngavu hung up when called for comment this week and failed to respond to a text message sent on Thursday outlining all the young woman’s allegations.

Meanwhile, Ngavu didn’t show up to the CCMA for a hearing of a sexual harassment case laid against him.

CCMA director Cameron Morajane told City Press that Ngavu didn’t turn up.

“When the respondent does not attend the hearing the applicant would have been advised to apply for the arbitration process. That is the process in terms of the Labour Relations Act,” Morajane said.

Morajane confirmed two cases had been lodged against Jozi Media Empire. Although he declined to reveal details, he did say the company had lost the one and an award was issued, and the other was still to be heard.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE