Varsity worker suspended

15 April 2013 - 02:18 By NIVASHNI NAIR
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Durban University of Technology. File photo
Durban University of Technology. File photo
Image: Times Media

A Durban University of Technology employee has been suspended after he allegedly tried to solicit sex from a first-year student in exchange for accommodation.

In a letter to university senior management the student's guardian explained that the girl, from Newcastle, had been desperately trying to secure housing in Durban since enrolling in January.

Last month she phoned the varsity employer "in a state".

"She told me the most frightening news for any parent. She said the university staff member tried to solicit sex in exchange for a room on the campus housing stock.

Apparently he told her to give her housing number to someone else "because your case is sorted". But, to her surprise, he kept calling her for private meetings after lectures. It is in one of these that he solicited sex in exchange for the housing number. She reports that when she refused she was told that there will be no accommodation for her," her guardian said.

The student was taken for counselling and is currently living in an informal settlement in Inanda.

A family spokesman confirmed that a criminal case will belodged to the police.

Gops Chetty, special assistant to the vice-chancellor at the university, confirmed the employee's suspension pending the completion of an investigation.

"We do not want to infringe any party's rights by revealing more information at this stage," he said.

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