Mark Lamberti has resigned as a director from the Eskom board after a judgment by the North Gauteng High Court found him guilty of discrimination.

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan confirmed receipt of Lamberti’s resignation on Saturday. Lamberti, who is chief executive at Imperial, referred to a former employee as a female employment equity candidate.

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

Social media frenzy

He cited in resignation letter to the board that while mistakes were made and important lessons learned there were no findings in the judgment of race or gender discrimination against AMH (Associated Motor Holdings), Imperial or himself.

“Despite this, there has been a mainstream and social media frenzy of generally inaccurate commentary,”Lamberti noted.

“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,” he said.

Gordhan commends Lamberti

On Saturday, Minister Gordhan said Lamberti must be commended for taking the difficult decision to put the interests of Eskom, the board and the country above all else.

“Mr 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 the Minister.