Johannesburg - The Investec financial services group has distanced itself from an Islamophobic man who told a potential customer on the Facebook Marketplace that he hates Muslims and called the potential customer a "porky pig".
Facebook user Ryan Gerber appeared to have advertised a Sony Playstation 4 gaming console for sale on the Facebook Marketplace, when a man believed to be of Muslim belief, enquired about the advertised product.
It is not known if Ryan Gerber does exist or if he had used a fake profile to post the hateful messages.
In a terse exchange, the potential buyer asked if the product was available, to which Gerber replied with hate and venom: “Ask Allah… you porky pig... I hate Muslims,” he said in three consecutive messages.
Gerber’s Facebook profile appeared to have been taken down on Wednesday.
But in screenshots circulated on social media, the man claimed to be a private banker for Investec and a business analyst at Business Analyst Professionals. But Investec said they did not know the man and he had never worked for them.
“We are aware of posts from Ryan Gerber who purportedly works at Investec. We can confirm no record of Ryan Gerber being in our current or past employ. We take such matters very seriously and we condemn any form of prejudice or discrimination,” said Investec on Twitter after a flood of complaints.
The company said on Wednesday it was investigating the matter further.
We are aware of posts from Ryan Gerber who purportedly works at Investec. We can find no record of Ryan Gerber being in our current or past employ. We take such matters very seriously and stand firmly against any form of prejudice or discrimination.
— Investec (@Investec) November 12, 2019
We hope that you know that there are no records of Ryan Gerber being in our current or past employ. This matter is currently being investigated.
— Investec (@Investec) November 13, 2019
Gerber’s message left many South Africans angry on Twitter.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/Investec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Investecknows ryan gerber and can make him famous at their HR dept. pic.twitter.com/2EswGQLfTz
— Nizaam (@nizaam325)
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/Investec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Investec @investecam_sa @Investec_Rugby look at this Islamophobic reprobate Ryan Gerber.
Plus the irony is he has a #StrongerTogether badge. pic.twitter.com/0eNv6WvZhq
— My Surname is Khan™ (@ejaz_k)
Or he works there but Ryan Gerber is just the name he uses on Facebook. I mean he is trying to sell something so he must be real
— Arnica (@Aneeqah) November 12, 2019
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/Investec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Investec- Posts published under that name are highly inflammatory , islamophobic and outrightly racist . Question is does Ryan Gerber exist or is it a fake account created to sow discord ? https://t.co/EWnsfb3gc3
— Ashraf Garda (@AshrafGarda)
Can the real Ryan Gerber please stand up?
— Salty Pancake 🇿🇦 (@Nur_KBY) November 12, 2019