Racist email causes a stir
A local IT company yesterday said it has launched an investigation over racial comments expressed in an email communication between a manager and a subordinate.
The email confirmed the head-hunting of three white technicians and was supposedly sent by Canocopy technician Rigardo Kuhn to his manager Werner Lassen.
The email read “…found three technicians. All white boys [just] as Werner had asked. We will work together nicely next. One race, one nation - no bull-shitters.”
However, Paratus Namibia, which is the holding company of Canocopy, distanced itself from the communication.
Paratus Namibia group CEO Barney Harmse said whoever sent the mail had malicious intent and is extremely technical savvy. He emphasised that although Kuhn is a qualified technician, he was convinced it was not him who wrote the email.
“We can inform you with absolute confidence that the email was not sent by Rigardo Kuhn. The matter is still under investigation, but it is so easy to send an email on behalf of someone else. In this case, this email came from a server from America.
“We went into Rigardo's sent items and we can tell you that it was not sent by him,” said Harmse.
Harmse emphasised that the email and its content is certainly not a reflection of the working culture at the Paratus Namibia group of companies.
Harmse said the company was offering a substantial reward of N$1 million to anyone who can provide information that can lead to the successful prosecution of the email sender.
“Whoever sent that mail on behalf of Rigardo, we don't know what his intention is, we don't know what the final objective is of such an individual/s or such an entity, but the matter is under investigation. Since yesterday (Wednesday) it has been total chaos,” he said.
According to Harmse only one out of 1 000 people called to find out if the email is false, while the general perception was overwhelmingly “disappointing”.
While Harmse insisted that he can vouch for the innocence of Lassen and Kuhn he declined to comment on rumours that legal action is being lodged against a staff member for reportedly leaking the email.
“I cannot comment at this stage about our internal processes and procedures, all I can tell you is that we will certainly act within the law.
“If someone did something wrong from an employee perspective then it is up to our HR department to follow protocol in this matter.
“Needless to say it does not matter who you are, and if you work for this company and irrespective of the position you hold in our company. If you did something wrong then we are going to throw the book at you,” he said.
Canocopy is a print management and office automation company and the authorised distributor for Ricoh products and solutions in Namibia.
The company used to belong to Lassen and his former partner Mark Barnard. Barnard has since left after Paratus Namibia bought into the company two years ago.
The email confirmed the head-hunting of three white technicians and was supposedly sent by Canocopy technician Rigardo Kuhn to his manager Werner Lassen.
The email read “…found three technicians. All white boys [just] as Werner had asked. We will work together nicely next. One race, one nation - no bull-shitters.”
However, Paratus Namibia, which is the holding company of Canocopy, distanced itself from the communication.
Paratus Namibia group CEO Barney Harmse said whoever sent the mail had malicious intent and is extremely technical savvy. He emphasised that although Kuhn is a qualified technician, he was convinced it was not him who wrote the email.
“We can inform you with absolute confidence that the email was not sent by Rigardo Kuhn. The matter is still under investigation, but it is so easy to send an email on behalf of someone else. In this case, this email came from a server from America.
“We went into Rigardo's sent items and we can tell you that it was not sent by him,” said Harmse.
Harmse emphasised that the email and its content is certainly not a reflection of the working culture at the Paratus Namibia group of companies.
Harmse said the company was offering a substantial reward of N$1 million to anyone who can provide information that can lead to the successful prosecution of the email sender.
“Whoever sent that mail on behalf of Rigardo, we don't know what his intention is, we don't know what the final objective is of such an individual/s or such an entity, but the matter is under investigation. Since yesterday (Wednesday) it has been total chaos,” he said.
According to Harmse only one out of 1 000 people called to find out if the email is false, while the general perception was overwhelmingly “disappointing”.
While Harmse insisted that he can vouch for the innocence of Lassen and Kuhn he declined to comment on rumours that legal action is being lodged against a staff member for reportedly leaking the email.
“I cannot comment at this stage about our internal processes and procedures, all I can tell you is that we will certainly act within the law.
“If someone did something wrong from an employee perspective then it is up to our HR department to follow protocol in this matter.
“Needless to say it does not matter who you are, and if you work for this company and irrespective of the position you hold in our company. If you did something wrong then we are going to throw the book at you,” he said.
Canocopy is a print management and office automation company and the authorised distributor for Ricoh products and solutions in Namibia.
The company used to belong to Lassen and his former partner Mark Barnard. Barnard has since left after Paratus Namibia bought into the company two years ago.
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