Court upholds protection order against manager for offensive language

REPEATED insults with the use of profane and demeaning language during a salary dispute with a colleague resulted in a line manager being slapped with a protection against harassment order, which he now tried to overturn, stating that his language simply constituted "workplace banter".

- ZELDA VENTER

But the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, did not agree and turned down the appeal against the harassment order.

The court said words such as the “f” word and calling someone an “asshole” did not belong in the workplace.

Nonhlanhla Mabuza obtained the protection order in April against her line manager, Garth Roberts. Both work for a company known as Africa Rainbow Minerals.

Mabuza joined the company in 2019 and was placed on a three-month probation period at a specified salary.

After serving her probation, she was confirmed permanently, but her salary was reduced by R3 000. No reasons were given to Mabuza for this reduction.

This discrepancy necessitated a meeting between her and Roberts, during which a representative of the human resources department was also present. The proceedings were recorded.

It is not disputed that Roberts told Mabuza during the meeting that she signed a “f***ing” paper because she is an “asshole”.