SABC2’s Sesotho telenovela Lithapo actress Lorraine Moropa has opened up about being constantly sexually harassed by a male senior at work, adding that the male lead actor grabs their genitals on set while looking at her behind!
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“Being constantly sexually harassed by a male senior at a workplace cannot and should not be tolerated. Your senior, someone who’s meant to guide and protect you in the entertainment industry violates your human rights, that’s not even half the pain,” wrote Lorraine Moropa.
Lorraine Moropa continued: “Imagine working with someone who undresses you from how he looks at you. Someone that grabs their genitals on set while looking at your a$$ or grabs your a$$ and laughs it off in front of a crew (yes my cases have always been in the presence of my colleagues). That to me is worse than a slap in the face.”
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Lorraine Moropa said that the alleged perpetrator is a father, who also speaks highly of their daughter who is practically her age and also in the showbiz.
“I wonder if he would appreciate his daughter coming home with half the stories I have to go home and tell my mother due to his actions,” wrote Lorraine Moropa.
Another actress Altovise Lawrence has opened up about her own experience of sexual harassment allegations against the same actor, saying that she supports and stands with Lorraine Moropa.
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“I stand in solidarity with Lorraine Moropa who has had the courage to come out and say that she has been sexually harassed by an actor on set. The same man that sexually harassed her, has sexually harassed me too on the very same set.
“He told me that I’m sexy. He has asked me how far down my tattoos go. He has undressed me with his eyes. He offered to furnish my apartment in exchange for sex. He has bitten his lip when I’ve exited the change-room. He has spoken about how great my a$$ looks in wardrobe (a pencil skirt in this instance); loud enough for cast and crew to hear,” wrote Altovise Lawrence.
Quizzical Pictures issued a statement saying they are aware of the sexual harassment accusations made on social media which pertains to one of their sets.
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“We take this issue extremely seriously. We subscribe to the Swift and IPO code of conduct. All cast and crew sign declarations against sexual harassment as part of their contracts and Quizzical Pictures run sexual harassment workshops before any production begins,” reads the statement from the producers of Lithapo.
In 2014, one of Lithapo’s lead actors Mangaliso Ngema was accused of physically and verbally abusing his wife, who was reportedly having obtained a restraining order against him (then).
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According to previous reports, Mangaliso Ngema admitted that he only slapped his wife once on the 3rd of June 2012, because she was screaming on his face when he was trying to address certain challenges with her.
Lorraine Moropa said that the alleged perpetrator is a father who has a daughter in the showbiz and speaks highly of her.
Mangaliso Ngema’s daughter is Khosi Ngema who portrays the starring role of Fikile ‘Fiks’ Bhele in the Netflix mystery drama series Blood & Water.
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Quizzical Pictures, which Given Mkhari is also a director said that they are dealing with the issue with the people concerned.
In one of the production company’s directors Given Mkhari was also embattled in domestic matter with his wife Ipeleng.
It was later confirmed by the National Prosecuting Authority that Given and Ipeleng Mkhari withdrew the assault charges against each other in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court.
See below Lorraine Moropa’s statement:
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