News24 reports that a former Cape Town Metro Police Department (CTMPD) officer, who was allegedly sexually harassed by her superintendent, is taking her fight to the Cape Town Labour Court (LC).
She is claiming unfair discrimination, unfair treatment, and unfair dismissal after having reported the matter. Verna Simpson was appointed in 2012 as a constable in the Internal Affairs Unit of the CTMPD. Between 2014 and 2018, Simpson alleges she was subjected to sexual harassment, victimisation and bullying at the hands of the senior superintendent to whom she reported at the time. Although the man was suspended pending the outcome of a disciplinary process arising from Simpson’s allegations, the City is alleged to have not only lifted his suspension while the process was ongoing but to have also promoted him to various acting positions. The disciplinary process ended with him being found guilty and dismissed in 2020. The man then appealed to the bargaining council, which ruled that his dismissal was unfair and ordered his reinstatement. The City then went to the LC to review and set aside the bargaining council’s award. But, according to Simpson’s court papers, after allegedly striking a confidential agreement with the man, the City withdrew its LC action and returned him to his senior rank. Simpson says that in stark contrast to how he was treated, after reporting the matter she was victimised at work and repeatedly transferred between different CTMPD departments. Her reporting of sexual harassment and the treatment she received, she claims, ultimately resulted in her being charged with gross dishonesty, gross insubordination and bringing the City’s name into disrepute. She claims she was unfairly dismissed in December 2021. Simpson is asking the LC to award her two years’ salary for unfair dismissal and more than R1 million in damages for unfair labour practices, past and future medical expenses, and humiliation and degradation. The case will be heard on 27 May.