The civil rights organisation AfriForum today declared a dispute with Discovery based on the intention of the newly founded Discovery Bank to discriminate against minorities on a racial base.
This follows after Discovery Bank announced that black depositors will receive a 10% share in the company and that this benefit will be offered exclusively to black people.
Ernst Roets, Deputy CEO of AfriForum, says that a substantial component of AfriForum’s 215 000 members have dealings with Discovery. “We are not urging our members to halt their dealings with Discovery at this stage, but rather to consider other options in the meantime pending the outcome of this dispute,” says Roets.
Roets adds that AfriForum members are extremely offended by this blatant racial discrimination. “We live in the year 2018. If Discovery wants to concern itself with upliftment projects, it would make much more sense to invest in education for example. It doesn’t help to argue that Discovery Bank and other departments (such as the medical aid) are separate departments, because it is part of the Discovery Group – unless the other departments of Discovery are then willing to distance themselves from Discovery Bank’s discrimination. We will take up the matter with Discovery and give feedback to our members regarding the outcome thereof. AfriForum is willing to assist its members to change to another medical aid if need be,” concludes Roets.
More information on this campaign will be announced shortly.