Veteran actor Mangaliso Ngema posted a video on the sexual harassment claims levelled against him by SABC2 “Lithapo” actress Lorraine Moropa.
In a six-minute video posted on social media, on Monday, the former "Lithapo" lead explained “his side of the story.”
This comes after Moropa, who publicly exposed the actor's sexual misconduct and inappropriate behaviour on set.
She claimed Ngema would grab his genitals on a set while looking at her ass or "grabs your ass and laughs off".
In the video, Ngema denied any sexual harassment claims and says that the actress “totally misread the situation”.
The veteran actor recalled the turn of events that led to the sexual harassment allegations on July 20.
“We were shooting a scene and I had a problem with my costume, my pants were too tight, every time I had to get up, it felt like they were going to get torn.
The actor says while he was busy “inspecting” his pants, “when I looked up I saw her (Moropa) standing at a distance looking at me, so she assumed that I was playing with myself, which was not the case.”
Ngema also addressed a previous incident of sexual misconduct filed against him by the same actress.
He explained: “I think this was our first intimate scene together on the show, we were required to fall onto the bed during this passionate scene, and she later complained that when the director said cut, I stayed in character and I didn’t remove my hand from her hip.”
He said he later apologised for the incident.
The actor pointed out that Moropa would often ask him for a back and should massage.
“I’m a trained masseuse, so I do massage work, so she likes asking me (for massage)...I’m only saying this because even on the day of the accusation, she later asked me to give her massage.”
Watch the full video below:
My side of the story.
Posted by Mangaliso J. Ngema on Sunday, July 26, 2020
Soon after Moropa had come out with sexual harassment allegation on social media, another actress Altovise Lawrence also opened up about her own sexual harassment by Ngema.
She said: “I stand in solidarity with @lorrainemoropa 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.”
Lawrence added: “He told me that I’m sexy. 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 ass looks, loud enough for cast and crew to hear."
Ngema denied these allegations, too. He said the star used to complain about staying too far from work and “out of the goodness” of his heart he offered her a furnished cottage at his home.
The actor said someone hacked into his Facebook account and posted an admission of guilt statement.
In the Facebook post, which has since been deleted, Ngema apologised to Lorraine Moropa and other women who allegedly suffered abuse at his hands.
The post read “I am not going to deny any allegations levelled against my name. I will take full responsibility for the sexual harassment case. I apologise to Miss Lorraine Moropa and others for the abuse I directed towards them.”
Ngema’s contract was terminated by Quizzical Pictures, the production company that produces the SABC2's “Lithapo.”
Ngema insists that due processes were not followed and that the matter is now being handled by his legal counsel.