K-word spells doom for CEO

Screengrab: Facebook

Screengrab: Facebook

Published Dec 29, 2016

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Johannesburg – Two companies with links to the security supplier owned by a man who this week called black people the k-word have severed ties after public outrage on social media.

Hattech Holdings chief executive Pieter Hattingh resigned on Tuesday after using the k-word on Facebook, prompting a backlash on social media.

After visiting Hattech’s website, Twitter users identified the firm's four listed clients and asked if they shared Hattingh’s views.

Pick n Pay was one of the first to respond, immediately distancing itself from the racial remarks.

Speaking to The Star on Wednesday, Pick n Pay spokesperson Tamra Veley said Hattech was not the store’s supplier but it appeared it had once supplied a branch of the franchise. However, she said, the superstore would not do business with Hattech in future.

“It’s difficult to get information at this time of the festive season but it looks like he supplied one thing once to one of our franchises, so he is not a Pick n Pay supplier.

"I don’t know why this is a story," she said.

When The Star explained that this was because Pick n Pay’s logo was on Hattech’s website, Veley said: “He can put whatever logo he wants, but he is not a Pick n Pay supplier.”

Dixies Restaurant in Cape Town, another of Hattech’s alleged clients, described Hattingh’s utterances as “despicable” and said it had cut ties with the company.

“We reject any form of racism,” the company said in a statement.

Eileen Cross, owner of Bread & Butter, said the Cape-based eatery had condemned Hattingh’s remarks after being alerted by the public.

She said it was correct that Hattingh had resigned.

“We have directly dealt with Hattech on this matter and it has been brought to the board’s attention. As you know, the CEO has resigned. We feel that is justice for what he said, and that’s our stance on the matter,” she said.

Hattingh reacted to a recent farm attack by posting a comment that included the offensive term. He has since apologised in media reports, but was adamant he was not racist but “an idiot”.

An internal Hattech human resources investigation was under way, the company said on Tuesday.

“Although his comment was made in a state of emotional anger, it does not, and never will, excuse the blatant racism that we all strive to eliminate in a country we all love and cherish for its equality and freedoms it gives to us,” it said in a statement.

The Star

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