An information technology distribution company has denied allegations of racial discrimination against an employee because of her curly hair.
Pinnacle chief executive Tim Humphreys-Davies said Ronelle Prins has in fact been suspended for contravening the company’s social media policy.
Prins accused the company of discriminating against her and her physical appearance when she detailed in a blog entry how a supervisor suggested she spruce up her professional appearance and get a “Brazilian blow out”.
A spokesperson for Pinnacle, Evette Wessels, said they are “greatly disappointed” that Prins chose to speak to the media before addressing the matter in line with company policy and procedure by lodging a grievance.
“The matter has an extended history which she has not chosen to share with you.
“We do feel the need to set the record straight as the situation has evidently moved in a very unfair and damaging direction,” Wessels said.
Prins, 30, has been suspended from her position as a dispatch clerk after sharing her story on an online blog detailing how a supervisor suggested she (Prins) have a Brazilian blow out (which keeps curls but loses frizz for a sleek look) as opposed to wearing her hair naturally.
Prins, who has been employed at the company for almost three years, says she has frequently worn her hair with its natural curls.
She said her natural hair journey started after she was assaulted on a train and had to undergo surgery, leaving her with a scar stretching between her ears.
“After the surgery I decided to grow my hair naturally. It grew out curly and because blow-drying my hair is always a pain, I decided to wear natural curls most of the time,” she said.
Prins said she was called aside by her supervisor and told to pay more attention to her physical appearance.
“The matter has been coming on from a month ago when I was approached by my supervisor saying that they had a problem with my appearance. They were not happy with the way I looked and the way I dressed,” she said.
“They have told me that my (company-issued) jacket is always dirty but I work in a warehouse where we dispatch items from and my jacket is sometimes covered in dust.
“Although this was part of details surrounding my suspension, a big part of it is due to my hair,” Prins said.
She was taken aback by the request to do something to her appearance.
“I was also asked to change my hair colour. But my hair has been this way for a year already and when I initially changed the colour, there was no problem with it.
“I was very emotional after the meeting and I cried because I couldn’t understand what it is that I’m not doing right,” she said.
Humphreys-Davies said Prins was not singled out owing to her appearance as all employees were addressed about their professional appearance. “On the same day a colleague of Prins's was also asked to tidy his appearance by neatening his facial hair, as he also is a customer-facing employee.”
Last week Prins received a suspension letter from her employer and told to report to their Cape Town offices tomorrow morning “pending the outcome of an investigation regarding gross misconduct, unacceptable behaviour and disrespect to an employer”.
Prins said she did not want to follow the route of lodging a grievance at the workplace as she felt it would be “swept under the mat”.
In addition to saying the company was an “all inclusive employer”, Wessels said: “We would like to confirm that at no time was the employee asked to cut or remove her curly hair - only to wash it and to present herself in a more professional manner.
“This has subsequently been misconstrued and misled everyone to think it was a racially-motivated incident.”
Prins said airing her story was not done with ill-intent.
“I have nothing to gain; I just wanted my story heard.”