Anti-Muslim e-mail rocks Merc SA
Mercedes Benz SA has suspended two employees after they allegedly sent out an anti-Muslim e-mail, the company said on Monday.
The two - from the company’s Centurion head office - had been suspended pending a full investigation, company spokeswoman Annelise van der Laan told Sapa.
“This goes against our company philosophy and we view this very seriously… we heard about the incident this morning (Monday) and we then suspended them.”
Mercedes Benz SA also apologised to Media Review Network, the muslim website.
The matter arose after the website received an e-mail written in English and Afrikaans, allegedly from a senior employee of Mercedes Benz SA.
“The e-mail is accompanied by a series of horrendous photographs of the arm of a child being run over by a motor vehicle… the photographs are accompanied by Hebrew text,” Media Review Network said in a statement.
It said it found the e-mail “derogatory to say the least”. It sent “very erroneous and inflammatory signals about Islam and Muslims”.
The website took the matter up with Mercedes-Benz SA and received an apology from the Mercedes-Benz SA president and CEO, Hansgeorg Niefer.
Niefer assured Media Review Network that the employees acted on their own initiative.
“The policy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, with regard to company resources is zero tolerance.”
Media Review Network said it had been advised that disciplinary action was initiated.
Niefer also gave the assurance that Mercedes-Benz South Africa would ensure that “something like this does not happen again”, according to the website.
Source: Wheels24
PRESS STATEMENT: Expression of ‘Regret’ from Mercedes Benz South Africa
The Media Review Network announces that it has received an apology from the President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, Mr. Hansgeorg Niefer.
In his response to our correspondence Vis a Vis the Islamophobic material emanating from staff members, Mr. Niefer articulated his company’s regret and we quote: “I would like to express my deep and sincere regret for this incident….” Mr. Niefer assured Media Review Network that the employees acted on their own initiative.
The policy of Mercedes-Benz South Africa, with regard to company resources is zero tolerance and according to Mr. Niefer, “we instantly initiated disciplinary action”. Mr. Niefer also gave the assurance that Mercedes-Benz South Africa will ensure that “something like this does not happen again”.
Mr. Niefer not only spoke on behalf of Mercedes-Benz South Africa but also for Daimler AG in Germany.
Response From Mercedes-Benz South Africa to Media Review Network
We have been made aware, that during the course of last week individual staff members from our company sent out emails with content of which members of the Islamic community may take offence.
The respective employees acted in a private initiative and illegally abused our company email for this purpose. Mercedes-Benz South Africa has a zero tolerance policy in this regard and we instantly initiated disciplinary action.
On behalf of Mercedes-Benz South Africa as well as on behalf of Daimler AG in Germany I would like to reiterate our pride in our long successful history and tradition as global multi-cultural and multi-national organisations. In fact, our diversity has always been an integral and elementary contributor to our success.
I would like to express my deep and sincere regret for this incident and promise that we will do everything possible to ensure, that something like this does not happen again.
Dr Hansgeorg Niefer
President & CEO
Mercedes-Benz South Africa (Pty) Ltd.
