THE Scottburgh Magistrate's Court this week sentenced a former senior police officer to six years for the 13 counts of sexual harassment he faced.
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THE Scottburgh Magistrate's Court this week sentenced a former senior police officer to six years for the 13 counts of sexual harassment he faced.
Lieutenant General Vivian Vivani Zuma, 54, was previously a station commander at the SAPS Umzinto, where his victims, two policewomen, opened sexual assault cases against him. Zuma, who was convicted in October, was with the Saps’ Port Shepstone cluster office before he left the force in December, marking an end to 34 years of service.
The two women had alleged that acts of sexually inappropriate conduct usually occurred behind a shut door.
He would apparently summon them to his office on separate occasions, and that’s where the inappropriate touching, groping, grabbing, and making sexually suggestive comments occurred.
On one occasion, a victim was allegedly fondled, groped, and subjected to Zuma’s sexually suggestive talk as she drove the police vehicle while they were on police duty.
The State was represented by prosecutor Thiloshnee Naidoo, who led six witnesses during the trial, five of whom were members of the SAPS, including the two victims, a constable and a sergeant.
Pierre Lourens was the presiding magistrate. The alleged sexual harassment incidents occurred predominantly towards the latter part of 2018, 11 of which related to the 39-year-old constable.
Both women had spent long periods away from work due to the stress and trauma the harassment brought on them. On some occasions they needed hospitalisation and professional therapy and counselling.
Apart from criminal charges, Zuma was also subjected to the SAPS’ internal disciplinary processes previously, based on the victims' complaints.
He was cleared of any wrongdoing with the constable and was suspended for two months regarding the claims made by the sergeant.
In a statement made by the constable, she said in August 2018, Zuma called her into his office, got her to shut the door, and sit in front of him.
He allegedly enquired about the well-being of her husband, who had health challenges. Then he apparently switched the subject to his sexual preferences, and he suggested that they have a child together.
The “shocked” constable said, “you’re talking nonsense", read her statement.
It was alleged that Zuma then asked if he could hug her and moved quickly from behind his desk and embraced her as she attempted to leave his office.
He apparently called her back into his office two days later, and Zuma made sexually suggestive comments once again and asked, “are you a good kisser” and told her how much he wanted to kiss her.
She rebuffed his advances. “No, I am a married woman, and I don’t like what you are doing.”
Zuma allegedly continued with his advances and harassment of the constable on various occasions.
Near the end of September 2018, she confided in another police officer (her friend), who, with the constable’s permission, got Zuma investigated for the harassment.
The constable was subjected to his harassment while they travelled together in a police vehicle.
It is alleged that Zuma also told policemen from other stations that she was his girlfriend during the road trip.
In August 2018, the 42-year-old sergeant was summoned into Zuma’s office. She said he asked her to shut the door and directed her where to sit.
Zuma apparently talked about work matters before asking about her birthday and told her that he wanted to take her out on the day.
She said that when she attempted to leave, he got out of his seat, grabbed her, and held her forcefully against himself.
The sergeant said in her statement that she managed to break free and felt humiliated by what had happened.
She felt afraid to talk about the incident to others at the station, fearing victimisation, due to the authority Zuma wielded.
During September 2018, while the other members were at a Heritage Day function, the sergeant was apparently called into Zuma’s office when she returned from a course she attended.
She said he spoke about an arbitrary police matter, and she realised that it was just a ruse to get her into his office and attempted to leave, but he allegedly moved towards her and pressed his body against her and started to kiss her neck.
During his testimony, Zuma claimed that his interactions with the victims were consensual. Zuma was appointed station commander of Umzinto in May 2017, having served in the same position at Dududu. Before that, he worked in Port Shepstone and Ezinqoleni Saps in the crime prevention field. He joined Pinetown Saps in 1990.