The aim of the roadshow was to educate stakeholders on the code of good practice in the prevention and elimination of harassment in the workplace. The objective of the code is to eliminate the harassment of employees in workplaces while working or engaged in work-related activities.

Deputy director of Advocacy Employment Equity, Lefika Masilo said, “the new code covers physical, verbal, psychological and sexual harassment, and is replacing the code of good practice on the handling of sexual harassment cases in the workplace, 2005, which was only focusing on sexual harassment”. He said the code applies to all workplace stakeholders including employers, employees, suppliers, cleaners, and applicants.

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According to Masilo, employers are under obligation in terms of Section 60 of the Employment Equity Act to take proactive and remedial steps to prevent all forms of harassment in the workplace. “This includes an assessment of the risk of harassment that employees are exposed to while performing their duties as far as reasonably practicable.”

He highlighted that cases of harassment are not reported as people fear losing their jobs, not anyone believing them, appearing as trouble makers, or being accused of “asking for it” therefore, a climate in the workplace should be created in which employees who raise complaints about harassment will not feel that their grievances are ignored or trivialised or fear of reprisals. “All internal and external communication related to an incident of harassment should be treated as confidential,” he said.

“It is, therefore, the duty of employees and employers to take part in contributing to a conducive working environment, protect and respect everyone’s dignity,” Masilo concluded.