Delivery man takes offence over Sappi employee's 'tribal' slur

A man from Mpumalanga who was called impondo by a Sappi employee at an Umkomaas mill, south of Durban, says he feels violated and belittled.

Ntando Mayana, 39, a Time Freight delivery man, told TimesLIVE he was referred to as an impondo while making a delivery in March.

“At check-in, I was attended [to] by a receptionist who took my fingerprints and processed me to gain entry. During this moment I was asked for my name and upon saying it, the man responded by calling me impondo,” he said.

Mayana said he was hurt by the “derogatory term” and decided to lodge a formal complaint with the company.

While Mayana acknowledged that the amaMpondo are one of many Nguni groups in SA, he said he understood  the term to have “tribalistic undertones” when used to refer to non-Zulu speakers in KwaZulu-Natal.

“I am not impondo and I do not appreciate being called by something I am not. I also understand the tribalistic undertones that come with being called impondo in this province [KZN] and I will not accept it,” he said.

Sappi communications manager Mpho Lethoko said in a response to the complaint that an extensive investigation was carried out and the outcome was that there was no malicious intent by the Sappi employee.

“We can confirm that the process followed was thorough and included various levels of engagement with witnesses, management, video footage and independent consultants,” she said.

Lethoko said the investigation revealed there was no malice or ill intent on the part of the Sappi employee who engaged with Mayana.

Recommendations made by the report as part of remedial actions for the employee include diversity training.

“The employee concerned was reprimanded and requested to write a formal letter of apology to Mr Mayana. In addition, the employee and other members of the front-line team at Saiccor Mill will be taken through diversity and inclusion training to ensure that an incident of this nature does not repeat itself at Sappi again,” said Lethoko.

Mayana said he was not satisfied with the sanction, however, and is considering reporting the man to the Equality Court or the Human Rights Commission.

“An adult who should know right from wrong did this. He thinks calling people derogatory terms is funny. He must be taught a lesson because he will continue with this behaviour and teach his children that it is OK to be a tribalist,” he said.

“The apology does not make me feel better. I am still angry because the man is not employed to ask tribalist questions. The way he said [this] made me feel very small and I do not want it repeated to someone else.”