The patronizing and patriarchal Mark Lamberti should be removed at Eskom and fired by Imperial Holdings

4 April 2018

The Congress of South African Trade Unions joins a number of organisations that have called for the removal of Mark Lamberti as a board member of Eskom and be dismissed as the CEO Imperial Holdings for referring to a black female employee as an employment equity candidate.

This condescending and patriarchal statement is a reminder that our economy remains a racist and patriarchal apartheid capitalism that was designed by white man for white man. 

These are the consequences of our government’s failure and inability to transform our economy. The ANC government has left the apartheid capitalist system intact but has only negotiated for it to absorb the tiny black minority that is mostly black man. These black man are also part of the problem because they are not interested in transforming the private sector , in fact most of them resist and sabotage transformation.

This is the reason why according to the Statistics SA’s Labour Market Dynamics Survey women still earn 23% less than men. This wage inequality is caused by the fact that the private sector is not being forced to standardise job their job grading systems and salary scales like the public service.

It is therefore not shocking that we still have arrogant people like Mark Lamberti dominating our private sector boardrooms but what is shocking and disappointing is the fact that our government that is supposed lead transformation not only tolerates them but sometimes protects them.

Issued by Sizwe Pamla, National Spokesperson, COSATU, 4 April 2018