A manager at a Johannesburg-based packaging company has been suspended for allegedly using racially offensive language against his colleagues.
Pride Pak Packaging, which is based in Ormonde, on Thursday suspended its senior manager Darrel Govender, who allegedly insulted his colleague Shadrack Malende on numerous occasions at the company’s premises.
Malende told Sunday World he had been called derogatory names by Govender many times since 2022. He reported the matter to the company’s human resource department, however, he said, nothing was done about his complaint. He also opened a case against Govender last year.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Mavela Masondo said: “Police can confirm that a case of crimen injuria was opened at Booysens police station for investigation. As part of the investigation, police obtained a warning statement from the suspect. A statement was also taken from the employer. The docket will be taken to the National Prosecuting Authority for a decision,” said Masondo.
Malende told Sunday World the problem started when Govender, who was a day shift supervisor, while he was a night shift supervisor, wanted him to swap shifts and he refused.
“He started to have issues with me and also started using swear words when I get to work,” said Malende.
He alleged Govender would call him and other black staff members monkeys, the k-word and another derogatory term. “I felt insulted and degraded when he called me a k….. and p…. I felt aggrieved and I believed as a person who understands atrocities of apartheid, I needed to act,” said Malende.
Govender denied the allegations when approached for comment by Sunday World.
“The police came here and said that all Shadrack was saying was bullshit and nonsense. Shadrack is a dirty liar. We have a union that was not going to allow that to happen. Shadrack is making all those allegations because he doesn’t like me because I got a promotion, and he didn’t.
“I didn’t call him what he said I called him. He is just making up stories, and if it was true I’d have been fired long time ago.
“He did complain to HR [human resources], and the police said there was no use to investigate his allegations. You can do what you need to do,” said Govender.
Pride Pak CEO Yagnesh Gosai confirmed that both Govender and Malende are employed by the company. Gosai said he only became aware of the alleged incident after being contacted for comment by Sunday World on August 8.
“Following your email, we immediately instructed our HR department to investigate the alleged incident thereafter, as well as the allegations made regarding the ‘matter being swept under the carpet’ by our management,” Gosai said.
“As part of our investigation, employees were invited to give testimony regarding their knowledge and recollection of these events. With effect from 15 August 2024 and after following its internal processes, Mr Govender has been suspended from his duties as a precautionary measure to remove him from the workplace to ensure that the investigation can run its course.”
After his suspension, an unrepentant Govender told Sunday World in a telephone conversation: “This means nothing to me as I got a paid-up holiday. This has got nothing to do with you. You are racist because you listen to your black man like you. I am happy that I am home getting a full salary, and if they suspended me for nonsense and believed all the lies, it’s fine. If I get fired, I will get another job.”
An SA Human Rights Commission report from the second national conference on racism noted that racial trauma is perpetuated and strengthened through systemic racism and that the impact of ongoing denialism of race and racism by adults minimises the impact of racism and is detrimental.
