When free speech and panic collide
Is FNB’s decision to fire employees for expressing their private views the right remedy?
This incident takes us right down to the razor’s edge where you walk a sharp line between free speech, racism and SA’s tetchy political climate. After reading all the reports, the events that unfolded are as follows: • Four FNB employees were dismissed for "political talk and using insulting language". • The four participated in a discussion on e-mail and Whatsapp in which they expressed surprise that DA leader Mmusi Maimane was married to a white woman. • The words of Linda Mahaye, which appear to have initiated the string, were: "I’m shocked Mmusi Maimane’s wife is white." • Siphesihle Jele responded: "White voice, white party, white wife, very soon he will be a Michael Jackson and bleach his skin." • Simon Masimula responded: "If we don’t want white people to look down [on] us, we then should stop the notion that everything white is beautiful." • FNB conducted a "thorough and vigorous" disciplinary and commission for conciliation, mediation & arbitration process in which the four...
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