The women alleged the professor made life difficult for them, leaving them with no option but to report him to the police earlier this year. In addition, they obtained protection orders from the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court in a bid to keep him away.
They told the Pretoria News they constantly needed members of the Black Forum at the university’s main campus to escort them safely.
“Problems between me and this man started in 2016, when I acted in his position in the department of academic planning for two years. At the time, he was also acting in another position.
“We started having problems and he would constantly harass me and ensure that I was marginalised. I sent a letter to management to complain, but nothing was done,” said one of the women, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.

She said she eventually arrived at a point where the harassment was too much, and she laid formal grievances through her attorneys.
However, that only made it worse.
At one point she was suspended, and later escorted from campus by security officers while she was ­pregnant, under the instructions of the accused.
“I had a complicated pregnancy, but the harassment did not stop. My psychologist even wrote a letter to the institution that I could not handle this any more. He suspended me indefinitely in 2016, but I later won the case at the CCMA.”
When she returned to work in February, the accused allegedly ­confronted her in front of other employees, screamed at her face and made racial slurs.
The second complainant, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed the accused hated her for complaining about unfair labour practices, and for being friends with the other complainant.
She said the accused victimised four black women and one white woman to a point where some of them had left their jobs.
“This man has anger and hatred that makes me numb. I have never come across someone who can be so aggressive and emotional. It traumatises me to this day.”
While the women told their story in a locked office, members of Black Forum, EFF Student Command and academic and professional staff associations protested outside the OR Tambo Building, which houses the Unisa executive, throughout the day against the accused.
The group comprised cleaners, security officers, students and academics, who said enough was enough. They said the accused had captured the department of human resources, the legal department and protection services, and that was how he suppressed complaints against him.
They claimed the accused’s wife was a dean of one of Unisa’s faculties, while his cousin was a senior executive in another department, and their appointments could not have been coincidental.
According to them, the accused’s cousin was also responsible for the human resource portfolio, and that was how he could not be touched.
Black Forum’s Kgagudi Morota said: “Some white academics are ­giving each other power by occupying all critical positions at Unisa. Many of us will be put on disciplinary hearings for participating in this protest. We are ready for that, but we are not afraid.”
A protesting female academic who asked not to be named, said racial tension was intense at Unisa, and the black majority were the ­victims. She said the institution needed to restore peace and unity at the university.
Unisa recently invited the South African Human Rights Commission to intervene in the racial issues, and asked it to make recommendations to eradicate the conflict among the workers.
Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said the university was aware of these issues, which formed part of the submissions by some stakeholders at the hearings of the HRC.
The hearings were requested by Unisa management, he said.
“It is the university‘s view that the commission must be given space to listen to and interrogate all submissions; and then make a determination after listening to all sides. We cannot pre-empt the outcome of this process,” Ramotshela said
“Equally, employees who are aggrieved still have the right to lodge grievances in accordance with the university’s procedure. If they are dissatisfied with either the speed of the resolution of their matter, or the outcome, they can escalate the matter to relevant senior managers. If they are not satisfied with internal processes, they have recourse to external bodies such as the CCMA.”
The next session of the commission is scheduled for May 7, 8 and 9, and members have been invited to make written submissions before April 18.
Sunnyside police spokesperson Daniel Mavimbela said they were investigating a case of intimidation following complaints by the women.

Source: IOL