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Standard Bank's top economist suspended over racist tweet
04 Jan 2016 at 15:42hrs | Views
Standard Bank announced that it has suspended its economist Chris Hart following a racist tweet on Sunday.
According to Fin24, Standard Bank said in a statement posted on its website that the bank has suspended Hart pending an inquiry into the events of his commentary on Twitter on Sunday 3 January.
"The inquiry will be conducted in line with the bank's established protocols and its obligations in law," it said.
Standard Bank has distanced itself from Hart's comments and said the outcome of the inquiry will be communicated once the process has run its course.
Hart has come under fire after he tweeted on Sunday that 25 years after apartheid ended, the victims are increasing, along with a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities.
In a weighty statement earlier on Monday Standard Bank said the Group is built on a solid set of values, which includes respecting difference in any form: gender, age, race, skin colour, religion, ideology, sexual orientation, or disability. "We also value difference in culture, ethnic or national origin, and political and philosophical conviction.
"As such, Standard Bank Group distances itself from comments made by Chris Hart on Twitter on 3 January 2016. The comments made by him are factually incorrect, make inappropriate assumptions about South Africa and have racist undertones."
"We expect our colleagues in every country to at all times reflect the values of Standard Bank Group," the bank said.
According to Fin24, Standard Bank said in a statement posted on its website that the bank has suspended Hart pending an inquiry into the events of his commentary on Twitter on Sunday 3 January.
"The inquiry will be conducted in line with the bank's established protocols and its obligations in law," it said.
Standard Bank has distanced itself from Hart's comments and said the outcome of the inquiry will be communicated once the process has run its course.
In a weighty statement earlier on Monday Standard Bank said the Group is built on a solid set of values, which includes respecting difference in any form: gender, age, race, skin colour, religion, ideology, sexual orientation, or disability. "We also value difference in culture, ethnic or national origin, and political and philosophical conviction.
"As such, Standard Bank Group distances itself from comments made by Chris Hart on Twitter on 3 January 2016. The comments made by him are factually incorrect, make inappropriate assumptions about South Africa and have racist undertones."
"We expect our colleagues in every country to at all times reflect the values of Standard Bank Group," the bank said.
Source - fin24
