Dis-Chem apologises for 'wording and tone' of controversial moratorium letter

The Dis-Chem board has apologised for the “wording and tone” of an internal memorandum that has been widely circulated online.

The retail pharmacy chain this week made headlines after a letter reportedly sent by the company’s CEO Ivan Saltzman told management it was placing a moratorium on the appointment of white staff.

In the letter, Saltzman told managers after a review of the company’s employment equity profile and BBEEE verification it was evident its transformation efforts were inadequate in spite of some inroads.

Saltzman said the company was placing a moratorium on the appointment of white individuals, including external appointments and internal promotions.

The letter sparked a major debate online with some, including ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba, saying it was racist and divisive.

Dis-Chem said the letter was “erroneously” shared.

“We acknowledge it did not reflect our values, did not follow our correct internal vetting processes and steps have been put in place to ensure that relevant checks and balances are thoroughly performed.”

“More importantly, we sincerely regret the offence and distress it caused to so many people, including our staff and millions of loyal customers. We value all our employees and appreciate their contribution to Dis-Chem.”

However, Dis-Chem stood by its unequivocal imperative to continue its transformation journey.

“Equality, diversity and inclusivity are important throughout Dis-Chem and we continue to make great strides in ensuring we maintain progress in this area.

“We have always been cognisant of the imperative to comply with all legislation including employment equity on our journey to meet transformation targets, and with a priority of employment on merit, based on our view of giving employment preference to previously disadvantaged communities. We apologise for the erroneous communication with caused offence to any South African community.”

Dis-Chem said it promotes inclusivity and representation of all South Africans in their capacity as stakeholders.

Social media users expressed their views about the apology letter. Some said it was “too late” for the apology while others said there was no need for Dis-Chem to apologise.

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