Bongumusa Mavuso, former chairperson of the LesBiGay Society at Stellenbosch University, has been removed from his position because of allegations of misconduct. This includes the mishandling of funds and consenting to an auction where the winner could take part in a threesome.
The alleged mishandled funds relate to the queer-inclusive society’s closing function held at the end of 2016.
According to emailed answers from the society to MatieMedia’s questions, money was deducted from the society’s account to cover the costs of the event. No receipts were produced as proof of the expenditure used to cover the event, nor were the proceeds from the auction accounted for.
Bongumusa Mavuso (aka Lavish) was removed as chairperson of the LesBiGay society on 1 March 2017. PHOTO: Facebook
In an effort to donate proceeds to a shelter housing destitute queer people, an auction was held. These proceeds were never deposited into the account.
The closing function, including the proceeds from the auction, were under Mavuso’s direct control.
Allegations of mishandling funds arose amidst further claims that Mavuso consented to an auction to take part in a threesome at the closing function. LesBiGay distanced itself from Mavuso’s actions stating that the auction for a threesome “perpetuates the ongoing sexualisation of queer bodies which reeks of sex-slavery”.
LesBiGay’s Executive Committee approached the university’s Societies Council to deal with the allegations. The Societies Council held a mediation session between the committee and Mavuso. LesBiGay ultimately chose to institute a vote of no-confidence against Mavuso.
The Societies Council emphasized that it supported the agency of societies, but only to a certain extent. “The Societies Council respects the rights of all societies to organize themselves insofar as they conform to the rules and values of the Societies Council and Stellenbosch University,” Rabia Abba Omar, chairperson of the Societies Council, told MatieMedia.
LesBiGay is a queer-inclusive society at Stellenbosch University, established in 2002. IMAGE: sun.ac.za
In an open meeting held on 1 March 2017 in the library auditorium, Mavuso was finally voted out as chairperson because of his failure to fulfill his obligations. The Executive Committee also requested that he pay back the money unaccounted for from the closing function.
Mavuso declined to comment on the matter.
(This article has been modified to clarify that Mavuso allegedly consented to the auction for a threesome but did not plan it, as was incorrectly stated in the first version of the article.)
–Christina Pitt