DURBAN – An Indian-origin police officer in South Africa, who was overlooked for a promotion because of his race, won a unfair discrimination lawsuit on Monday and was awarded about 20 lakh rupees as compensation.
The officer, Captain M Munsamy from KwaZulu-Nata had applied for three superintendent posts in 2000. He was recommended for one of the posts, but was not appointed because “Indian males were over-represented and Africans were under-represented” at the level of superintendent, Acting labour court judge Benita Whitcher said in her judgement.
In respect of the other two posts, police management said he lacked relevant experience for one, and the other required a female to be appointed for “representativity”, she said.
He then sued the police ministry and department for unfair discrimination, claiming the difference between the salary he was paid and the salary he would have been paid had he been promoted 11 years earlier.
He was awarded awarded 3,33,000 Rands in backpay, Murcury news reported. Judge Whitcher has also ordered the police to pay the costs of the lawsuit.
In his testimony before the court, Munsamy said he should not have been overlooked because he had more than 25 years service at the time he applied for promotion, and had performed important functions relevant to the post, including inspecting police stations.
