South Africa News

Mugg & Bean reinstates manager after racist dismissal claim

Former Somerset West Waterstone Village mall Mugg & Bean manager Andile Bozo will be reinstated after claiming he was dismissed by his employer who he alleged had told him that customers did not want to be served by a black manager.

This followed a backlash on social media, with threats by users claiming to be regular customers to boycott the restaurant over the incident. This was also after the Cape Times published Bozo’s story.

Bozo, who used to wash cars for a living and had worked his way up to be a manager after working at different Famous Brand stores for 11 years, had turned to the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA), claiming unfair dismissal.

Mugg & Bean

At the Mugg & Bean Waterstone Village, he had been working for four years, and one of the regular customers wrote to the Cape Times about Bozo’s dismissal.

He said he had received a letter saying Bozo was being retrenched and must not come back to work, and he knew the word “retrenched” meant fired.

Bozo said the owner defended himself and said it was the customers who wanted a white manager, and not him.

Mugg & Bean operations executive Jeanne Geldenhuys said Bozo would be taking on new employment within Mugg & Bean and they looked forward to him remaining a member of the broader team.

The management has been a mediator between Leon Mouton, the employer, and Bozo, who resolved the matter through a full final settlement.

“This has been a difficult and emotional process,” said Bozo. “It would have been much easier on everyone if we had resolved this earlier.

“I appreciate the public support, especially from Somerset and Strand residents and political parties. I am satisfied with the outcome. The date to go to work again hasn’t been set as management is in the process to create another post for me.”

Geldenhuys said they regretted that a matter between their franchisee and his employee was aired in public when it should have been resolved quicker, and within the business.

“Importantly, we truly regret that the operational retrenchment process at Waterstone Village, which was instituted by the franchisee due to weak trading conditions in a very challenging economy, became perceived as racist.”

“We categorically refute allegations that the retrenchment was racist.

“Mugg & Bean and its franchisees respect all relevant labour legislation and best practice as appropriate to our business,” Geldenuys said.

Source: News 24

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