With the recent headlines regarding the University of
Witwatersrand appointing a legal firm to probe claims of sexual
harassment at the University and the firing of a lecturer for
failing to disclose past misconduct of a similar nature, workplace
harassment has once again come under the spotlight in South
Africa.
Although not a new phenomenon, workplace harassment, including
acts of bullying, discrimination and sexual harassment, has been
identified as one of the most rapidly increasing workplace problems
throughout the world. Recent statistics report that in the United
States, up to 4 million employees are likely to experience some
form of workplace harassment per year, while the United Kingdom has
recently passed anti-bullying legislation. Yet, despite its
prevalence, workplace harassment and bullying specifically
continues to be misunderstood and receives limited attention from
employers and subsequently, incidences remain underreported.
