Absa executive, who claimed to be victim of racism, loses unfair dismissal case
An Absa executive who was fired after she called management "old white men" has failed in a high court bid to prove she was unfairly dismissed. Shirley Simmadari‚ former head of sales at Absa Corporate and Investment Bank‚ also claimed she had been racially victimised‚ but Cape Town Labour Court judge Anton Steenkamp said she had failed to prove this. Simmadari‚ from Johannesburg‚ was fired for gross misconduct. In his judgment‚ Steenkamp said she harassed and bullied subordinates. "For example‚ she referred to individuals as ‘monkeys’‚ handed out … gifts of a sexual nature and threatened their jobs." She also made racist‚ ageist and other inappropriate comments‚ said Steenkamp. "She referred to management as ‘old white men who do not know what they’re doing’ and ‘oxygen thieves’ … and made comments about ‘boere’." Simmadari told the court that Absa treated her differently from one of her subordinates‚ a white man‚ who was "allowed to retire gracefully". Steenkamp said the subordina...
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