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Eskom director Mark Lamberti resigns after discrimination judgment

Cape Town – Eskom Director, Mark Lamberti, has resigned from his position as a Director from the Eskom board. He tended his resignation on Friday evening.

Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, confirmed Lamberti's resignation and that it had been duly accepted.
 
"This decision is motivated by my fiduciary duty to Eskom and my consistent and proven record of acting insofar as possible in the best interests of South Africa," Mr Lamberti stated in his resignation letter.

Lamberti cited the High Court judgment of March 23, 2018, in the matter of J Chowan v Associated Motor Holdings (Pty) Ltd and Others, as the reason for his resignation.

Adila Chowan accused Associated Motor Holdings, and Lamberti, of race and gender discrimination, after she left their employ in 2015.

Among others, Lamberti was said to have referred to Chowan as "female employment-equity" in front of fellow managers, and said she would need as many as four more years to develop her leadership skills.

Lamberti has since apologised unreservedly for the remarks.

READ: Former AMH employee wins race and gender discrimination case

In representations to the Eskom board, Lamberti maintained that "while mistakes were made and there are important lessons to be learnt, there were no findings in the judgment of race or gender discrimination against AMH (Associated Motor Holdings), Imperial or myself".
 
"Despite this, there has been a mainstream and social media frenzy of generally inaccurate commentary.

"This is being fuelled by a political agenda and legally incorrect interpretations of the judgment, which have culminated inter alia in the most vitriolic defamation of my person.

"The most telling aspect of this is the call for the Minister and indeed the President to remove me from the Eskom board," the letter stated.

READ: EFF calls for Eskom board member's head

Gordhan said Lamberti had to be commended for taking the difficult decision to put the interests of Eskom, the board and the country above all else.
 
"Lamberti has stated that he cannot, in good conscience, accept any compensation from Eskom and will return the fees paid to him as most of the Eskom board's work to date has been preparatory, said Gordhan.

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