The Black Management Forum welcomes the decision that Standard Bank has taken against Chris Hart for his [controversial] tweet: “More than 25 years after apartheid ended, the victims are increasing along with a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities…”
Hart’s brazen comment serves to further perpetuate the narrative that black professionals are ‘unwelcomed guests’, thus ensuring that they do not take part meaningfully in the workplace and this consequently stalls their career progress.
The forum notes and respects the internal processes of the bank in handling this matter, however, we expect nothing less than his dismissal.
It is our fervent belief that the progress of black professionals has been frustrated and delayed by corporate gatekeepers such as Hart. His views and behaviour are unfortunately shared by most white managers and executives in corporate South Africa today.
The forum has always been vocal on the institutionalised racism that black professionals and general workers have been subjected to in most companies today and we will continue in our endeavour of ensuring that the many competent black [workers] are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve in the workplace.
Read “Racist” tweet lands Standard Bank employee in hot water
