ZBC's Robson Mhandu in Sexual Harassment Storm

ZBC's Robson Mhandu in Sexual Harassment Storm

The ZBC has suspended its director of radio services Robson Mhandu after he demanded sex from a female presenter in order to approve her transfer request from Bulawayo to Harare.

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Mhandu, who has over two decades at the ZBC on and off, told Farai Juliet Magada, also known as Farie Jules, that she needed to “motivate me by work and number two, the obvious… it’s a combination of the two.”

Mhandu told Magada in an audio recording of their meeting in his office at Pockets Hill.

Tell me if you don’t want to do it and you’ll go back to Bulawayo.

Two audio recordings of 18 minutes and 3 minutes, as well as 14 screenshots of WhatsApp messages, were shared with ZimLive by ZBC insiders.

When Magada asked Mhandu if her transfer should depend on sex, he told her that “we don’t seperate the two.” He threatened:

I will send you to Bulawayo, I have the power.

Mhandu is also heard telling Magada that his sexual demands are “the practical realities of life.”

And then in a string of WhatsApp messages, each punctuated with a peppering of seemingly meaningless emojis but always featuring a lion – his totem – Mhandu referred to Magada as his wife, declaring:

In our tradition one mustn’t give their woman space. Shumba (lion) is a military management animal, no letting go, never ever.

Magada asked Mhandu if giving him sexual favours guaranteed her transfer, and he responded:

It’s one million percent guaranteed… Remember you moved from Khulumani FM to Classic 263 on my signature MaMoyo. Your talk of guarantees is purely a sign of disrespect from a typical Zimbabwean woman.

Mhandu variously called Magada “honey,” “darling” and “sweetheart” as he kept pestering her for sex on WhatsApp.

ZBC's Robson Mhandu in Sexual Harassment Storm

In their meeting, Mhandu appeared concerned about Magada’s workrate, even declaring that he did not believe she should be at ZBC. Mhandu is heard saying:

At ZBC, as a typical top management technocrat, can I say this person really deserves to get paid? You don’t. You’re being paid because I’m there for you, you’re protected for which you’re not appreciating, you’re asking me silly questions like you did this morning.

I just don’t talk about being a lion, I am a lion and my business is to kill. This is me. It’s loud and clear. Do the right things right. You can’t separate the two.

When Magada finally tells him, on WhatsApp, that

I am not going to sleep with you for you to sign my papers.

Mhandu responded:

Case closed, no further discussion on this issue. It’s now work and work. SIMPLE.

ZBC CEO Adelaide Chikunguru told ZimLive she was “not aware” of Mhandu’s suspension.

However, a ZBC insider said:

She’s lying. She has always thought Mhandu wants her job, she’s careful not to be seen as instigating his downfall.

ZBC workers who spoke to ZimLive said Mhandu had an extensive history of demanding sex from female subordinates.

This is just a tip of the iceberg. The ZBC should actually be conducting a wider inquiry, led by an independent panel. What they will find is a sickening sexual bullying culture that has permeated the organisation for many years.

ZBC suspends Robson Mhandu in bombshell sexual harassment probe

▪️Radio boss caught on tape demanding sex before he could sign off on presenter's transfer from Bulawayo to Hararehttps://t.co/pEeaYpNLST

— ZimLive (@zimlive) September 29, 2023