Tourism exec says bosses used witchcraft to constructively dismiss him

Claimed board members used witchcraft to silence him because of his knowledge of corruption

A former South African tourism executive claims his former employer constructively dismissed him by bewitching him at work.

Segware Rapolai became the deputy chief executive of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency (MPTA) in April 2007. However, his tenure was rocky, including an incident in which he ran barefoot through an airport, waving his socks in the air and saying someone was calling him. Rapolai said a few days later, he woke up in a clinic and was told he’d fallen at work.

Rapolai claimed he had evidence of corruption by board directors and senior managers. He said he collapsed twice at work and was told some board members were bewitching him in an attempt to kill him so he wouldn’t expose what he knew.

In October 2007, he sent someone to fetch his belongings from the office because he said he “feared for his life.” He then resigned and claimed the series of witchcraft-related incidents constituted constructive dismissal.

Rapolai is suing for compensation for the remainder of the five-year deal he signed with the MPTA, or about $880,000 CDN.