Eskom board member Mark Lamberti maintains innocence on racist and sexist claims

Mark Lamberti maintains that the North Gauteng High Court has not found him guilty of being racist or sexist.

In an email sent to Imperial staff where he is the CEO, he defends himself. Lamberti says his statement to Adila Chowan as a female employment equity was not to demean her.

“My statement, intended to indicate attentiveness to the Employment Equity Act and society’s expectations of business, was not malicious or meant to hurt or demean her in any way. I regret and apologise for any hardship that it caused,” Lamberti said.

Misconstrued

He insists his employment equity comment is misconstrued.

“My statement was that I would like nothing more than for a female employment equity candidate to be appointed as a CFO of one of our companies…

“Contrary to the nature and tone of the current reporting, the High Court judgement found no findings of race or gender discrimination against AMH, Imperial or myself.

“It is unfortunate that the matter, which happened during my first full year as CEO, has had an adverse impact on the Imperial brand and by association on you as members of our valued Imperial community.”

Chowan said she suffered. She felt the only reason she had been employed within the Imperial Group was because she was an equity employment employee.

“I had built my career. I had been a CFO. I’d acted as a CEO. All those achievements were not being recognised. Apart from the fact that I was now being objectified in terms of being a female employment equity candidate,” she testified.