"Former AMH employee wins race and gender discrimination case", 4 Apr 2018

A former employee of Associated Motor Holdings has won her case of race and gender discrimination against the company and its CEO, according to a recent ruling by the North Gauteng High Court.  AMH, its parent company Imperial Holdings Ltd and Imperial's CEO Mark Lamberti, could now be liable for a payout of up to R23m which chartered accountant, Adila Chowan, has requested in damages...Chowan...was first hired as a group financial manager...[F]or a few months Chowan also filled in as Chief Financial Officer at AMH at a time when the position became vacant.  Although she completed the application to be appointed to the role on a permanent basis, she was turned down.  [A] promise was made...that she would be appointed into a CFO role within the Imperial group within one year if she stayed on...At a later stage...the CEO had said she would not be a CFO within the Imperial Group...She said she felt that her achievements were not recognised...Chowan subsequently wrote a letter to then Imperial Group Chairperson...complaining about her treatment...She was then given a letter suspending her during the investigation...The subsequent investigation...found her allegations "completely without foundation"' and "devoid of substance".  A letter...announced that...disciplinary procedures against her would be implemented for the apparent abuse of the grievance process.  [S]he was dismissed with immediate effect.  In his ruling, Judge Meyer found that "Ms Chowan’s inference of racial and gender discrimination against her…. was justified"...