Sexual harassment accused resigns

A fourth lecturer accused of sexual harassment at the University of the Witwatersrand has resigned, bringing an end to the harassment cases that were under investigation, the university said on Friday.

"Three of the accused were dismissed by the university with immediate effect following the outcomes of their respective disciplinary hearings," vice-chancellor Professor Adam Habib said in a statement.

Wits University was investigating four academics accused of sexual harassment this year.

Two of the academics were fired in July and the third in September.

"The fourth lecturer is no longer in the employ of the university and this brings to an end the individual cases that were being investigated."

In April, the university appointed a law firm to probe sexual harassment claims following an article in the Sunday Times newspaper which claimed that a lecturer in the university's drama department had harassed a number of his students.

Habib said the university had a zero tolerance policy towards any form of sexual harassment and it would deal decisively with such matters.

"Wits is actively establishing an adequate sexual harassment structure, and that will henceforth deal with all matters related to sexual harassment at the university."

He apologised to those who had been affected by the harassment.