As
we celebrate the 16 days of activism against gender based violence, ABAMMELI posted a video
on social media of a lady whose access to education was violated by a lecturer
at the National University of Science and Technology.
Thembelihle
Zulu was in her final year when a lecturer in her department asked for sex and
in exchange he would offer her a dissertation project. According to Zulu she refused and life at the
university turned to be hell. The lecturer was now shouting at her to the extent
that she had to avoid school because of him, change her cell number. Her marks
took a dramatic turn for the worst.
“I
approached a female assistant lecturer, told her everything on a person note. She
advised me on how to report the matter to the relevant authorities in the
department. I reported the issue and papers were said to be pushed until now
nothing has been done. It’s nearly two years now and there is nothing has ever
been done. Too many people came in into the situation. There were lawyers, NGO and
Human rights and as l stand right now l didn’t graduate when l was supposed to,”
said Zulu.
“I
didn’t want to go back but now l have enrolled because l have done 99.5 %. But
l feel unsettled because l need to go back to that same place where he was. I feel like the whole system is just mocking
me like that girl, what were you trying; did you accomplish what you wanted to
accomplish. Am very disappointed in the university system.”
According
to Female Students Network, there has been a significant rise in the number of
female students being abused and they do not report the issues. Most students are
afraid to speak out because they are afraid of failing.
According
to a source that could not be revealed, Zulu was the one who seduced the
lecturer. “The lecturer actually has WhatsApp messages that show that she was
the one who wanted a favour from the lecturer.”
“How
can she put the blame on the department? She was given another supervisor and
she failed the dissertation.”
Another
source said what the lady is saying is true as the issue was pushed forward to
the relevant offices at the institution.
He
said, “This issue is a very difficult one because it’s Thembelihle’s word
against the lecturer’s word. What really happened will only be known when the
hearing is conducted.”
Zulu
is said to be a lesbian and she was once involved in a fight with her former colleague
over a girl in the same class.
