Supermarket chain managers in sexual harassment storm

B-Metro Reporter
A Bulawayo TM Supermarket manager and his assistant in North End suburb are at the centre of a sexual harassment storm following sensational accusations from female employees, mostly merchandisers that they were being subjected to inappropriate behaviour by the two supervisors.

B-Metro gathered that the two male supervisors (names supplied) were allegedly forcing female workers, who are on their menstrual periods to show them the extra pads they will be carrying in their handbags and the ones they will be wearing before entering the shop.

One of the victims recounted the most shocking details of victimisation, claiming the two supervisors were allegedly instructing them to show the pads in their bags and the ones they would be wearing under the guise of checking if the pads were not stolen from the shop.

“We are being ill-treated as female workers by the manager and his assistant. When on period, all females are required to show the manager and the assistant the extra pads they will be carrying in their handbags and the ones they will be wearing before entering the shop.

“While checking them they will be instructing us to lift the skirt or lower down our pair of trousers and touch them while claiming that they will be checking if the pads were not stolen from the shop.

“All females are subjected to this inhuman behaviour. Surprisingly there is a female admin and female security guard, but these two (managers) want to do it themselves. They will be sternly ordering us not to tell our husbands or boyfriends,” said a victim who refused to be named citing victimisation.

The victim said the supervisors were also making inappropriate advances at them.

“The assistant manager is also verbally abusive to us and is always proposing love to us and if you turn down his advances, he will threaten you with unspecified action,” she said.

Another victim who also requested anonymity accused female security guards at the supermarket of invading their privacy. She said when searching them, they allegedly groped their privates and breasts in front of their male counterparts.

“The female security guards, when searching us, also touch our private parts and breasts in front of our male colleagues,” she said.

The manager was also accused of having an improper and questionable relationship with a married subordinate (name supplied). When contacted for comment the manager could neither confirm nor deny the accusations.

“I can’t comment on that,” he tersely said.

Meanwhile, the assistant manager opened up to B-Metro and said: “At our workplace we never had such a thing. It’s not happening at all. There is nothing like that.

If there was such a thing the victims would have reported to the police than coming to the Press”.

After comments were solicited from them, B-Metro gathered that the manager reportedly threatened female workers saying even if the story was published nothing would happen to him since he was related to one of the top bosses in the organisation.

The assistant manager also reportedly defended his alleged inappropriate advances to subordinates saying there was nothing wrong with proposing love to a subordinate or to be in a relationship with her even if she was married.

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