Cell C CEO Jose dos Santos during an interview on December 15, 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Image: Gallo Images
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During an interview on Cliff Central yesterday, the head honcho of the cellphone network company said women had a high tolerance for dealing with workplace issues but that they also had a "bitch switch" that got flipped when they were unhappy.

"If I can use the term on your radio station, you know women do have a bitch switch, and boy if you see two women fighting it is worse than two men," he said.

He also said beautiful women encouraged men to dress better and shave - which changed the atmosphere in the workplace.

The comment created a furore among some Twitter users, who found his stance to be sexist.

@AnnieBrooke said "Dear Cell C CEO Should I put 'good-looking' under 'Experience' or under 'Skills' on my CV? Do I need references? Ta, Female in the workplace."

Dos Santos said his words were taken out of context.

"As a CEO with a strong track record in the empowerment of female employees in South Africa and in many other African countries that I have worked in, I am saddened that my stance has been taken out of context.

"The comment I made, when asked about women empowerment, was part of a broader interview about leadership on Cliff Central.

"I regret my choice of words, which I realise were offensive."

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