Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Standard Bank Suspends Economist Following Twitter Comments



Standard Bank Group Ltd., Africa’s biggest lender, said it suspended economist Chris Hart.He faces further disciplinary action for comments he made on Twitter that the bank said may have “racist undertones.”

The Johannesburg-based bank said on its website it distanced itself from Hart’s comments on Jan. 3, in which he said the victims of apartheid are “increasing along with a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities.”


The statement caused a backlash on Twitter from people calling him a racist and urging Standard Bank clients to boycott the lender.

Hart later stated in a Twitter post, saying that he didn’t intend to cause offense and that his comments were meant to be read in the context of a slowing economy. Standard Bank said his earlier statements were “factually incorrect, make inappropriate assumptions about South Africa and have racist undertones.”

The banks says it will conduct an investigation.

“The inquiry will be conducted in line with the bank’s established protocols and its obligations in law,” it said.

What kind of "inquiry" are they going to conduct? Are they going to scour news accounts and social media to see if blacks are bitching too much?


The black South African, Thabang Mokotong, who has several degrees in international law and works in South Africa as a contract manager at Siemens Power & Gas, agreed with Hart when he originally made his tweet:



More Chris Hart tweets:






  -RW

6 comments:

  1. Good thing he didn't say something like "Into the Cannibal's Pot".

    http://www.ilanamercer.com/cannibals-pot/

    Clearly, SA would be a paradise but for all that residual white racism.

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  2. “factually incorrect, make inappropriate assumptions about South Africa and have racist undertones.” almost the definition of political correctness.

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    1. At least the man now is aware that he is a racist. In the future he doesn't have to be so undertonish about it. As for Thabang Mokotong, he's been living in the real world too long: money is earned not printed, harumph!

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  3. Huh? This is inept reporting. First, I don't know why you found it necessary to link my company with this tweet. My Twitter profile has no reference to my job. You also say I have several degrees in International law, Its a lie, you didn't do your homework I don't know where you get that from. Although I stand by my comments, I made three others in relation to this matter and you conveniently excluded them as it will contradict your biased article that's looking for some remote support of blacks. Blacks have a reason to feel entitled because of the savage disposition by colonialism and apartheid. However, politicians shouldn't harness entitlement mentality they must change it for the benefit of black people's future, the country as whole and the next generation.

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    1. Your LinkedIn page lists two law degrees and states that you have a "keen interest in international law."

      I stand corrected you have two degrees in law and have a keen interest in international law.

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  4. Alright. Only one is completed; the other one I am sure I put 2017 as the likely completion year. And finally, I made a spelling error in my initial comment, I meant "savage dispossession" not "disposition". I consider this matter close.

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